


In A Time of Peace

by ZeroTheAngel



Category: Dragon Quest Series, Dragon Quest XI
Genre: Elian is a little in denial, Erik is happy to pine for the rest of time, Eventual Romance, M/M, Most of it will be very accurate (ish), Multi, Not an AU just a continuation, Porn With Plot, Slow Burn, Veronica is there, so many spoilers, with some slight canon tweaks but eh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-06
Updated: 2020-05-22
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:01:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 24
Words: 93,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22148380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZeroTheAngel/pseuds/ZeroTheAngel
Summary: After the defeat of Calasmos, life in Erdrea returned to normal. Our heroes part ways for a few months, keeping in contact with one another. Unbeknownst to even himself, the Luminary Elian is struggling with a battle far greater than the darkness. Missing his friends. A particular friend seems to always be at the forefront however.
Relationships: Camus | Erik/Hero | Luminary (Dragon Quest XI)
Comments: 72
Kudos: 104





	1. New Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> After reading a really good fic, I've basically adopted the HC that Eleven's name would be Elian, close to Eleanor plus it just sounds nice, so that's what I'm going with. The story basically just extends the ending, and gives a little insight into life after Erdrea is safe. It might stay fluffy and mildly smutty, it might also turn into some fighting and danger, I'm not too sure yet.
> 
> Elian in this is about nineteen, give or take, almost twenty, while Erik would be about twenty-one, just for references sake.

The sun had barely peeked over the cliffs that surrounded Cobblestone, light filtering down into the valley and blanketing the lush greenery in its illuminance. With the fall of Calasmos, the creatures of darkness that roamed Erdrea’s surface had all but faded away, and the world was truly at peace. Of course, darkness is never truly snuffed out, and the more the sun will shine, the longer the shadows grow. Deep within the haunts of some of Erdrea’s more dangerous places, darkness still lurked, wounded and waiting. After communing with the Yggdragon, Elian knew that the shadowy cycle of death and rebirth would continue to turn, no matter how many beasts he and his allies would vanquish, and so, they made a pact. To live their lives in happiness while they could, to continue to spread the light throughout the land, and to always be ready to pick up the mantle once more. That being said, they kept in such frequent contact, and saw each other so often that it was hardly fair to say they had parted ways. A global family, Amber had chimed to Elian when he had returned home, a proud smile stretching across her face. While Elian agreed with her, he often dwelled on the timeline he had left to ensure Veronica had her chance at life, knowing so many of those experiences, those memories he shared with his companions, were one sided now. It was a sadness he learned to live with, but knowing that everything worked out dulled that heartache. It would never truly go away, words shared between his friends that were no longer there, replaced by the exact same person, just not quite who Elian knew.

“El.” 

Erik had returned to Sniflheim when they all parted ways all those months ago to pick up Mia. Despite only knowing her a short while, Elian was astonished that two people could be so alike, their humour and their mannerisms were so alike that it was hard to differentiate between the pair when they got into conversations. They had visited Cobblestone frequently, and while Mia and Amber got on like a barn on fire, the young girl always seemed chomping at the bit to continue their grand exploration of Erdrea. Being trapped in the Viking’s hideaway for so long, both through her childhood and through her curse had given her an irrepressible urge to travel, to be free. It was Erik that showed reluctance. He would visit almost every week without fail, he’d embrace Elian as if it had been years, not days, and seemed unwilling to let go. Every farewell was hard, Elian missed his partner in crime more than he cared to admit, but he was happy to part ways for now if Erik got time to mend the relationship between himself and his sister.

“Elian.” 

Veronica and Serena had initially returned to Arboria, welcomed back as the heroes they deserved to be remembered as. The whole group had been invited to Arboria to celebrate. For an enclave of priests, they sure knew how to party. Amber would have scolded her sons unkempt, drunken behaviour if not for her pride in his accomplishments, and the fact that his companions kept him safe. Veronica, being Veronica, departed Arboria almost as soon as she returned, traveling Erdrea like Erik and Mia, though on the search for more knowledge on the arcane. Last he heard, she was visiting the library near Sniflheim, and was even working alongside the witch Krystalinda to learn more. If her letters were anything to go by, the pair still didn’t get on that well. He was glad he only had to read that kind of language and not hear it. Serena stayed more local, imparting her knowledge of the healing arts that she had learned on her adventures to the hopeful priests of Arboria, becoming a well sought-after teacher in the field of magical mending within a few months. And of course, she continued to use her harp to bring joy to those who would listen. Every so often, she would even join her sister on her travels when time allowed. 

“Elian!”

Sylvando, surprising near everyone in the group, returned to Puerto Valor. Not permanently of course, in fact, he even returned to the Gallopolis circus for a time, before convincing many to join his roving band of entertainers. Garnering global acclaim, Sylvando and his merry band of performers sold out whatever show they put on, wherever in the world it was. On the side, Sylvando would return home to his father’s villa and, continuing to surprise, helped alongside the famed Don Rodrigo in training the knights. Elian heard from Erik that Don Rodrigo had bawled like a baby when he heard the news, before forcibly evicting everyone from the villa. 

“That bloody boy… Elian!”

Jade and Rab continued to be an inseparable force, a fact that warmed Elian’s heart. As the world got back on its feet Jade had reluctantly returned to Heliodor, and with Rab as her royal advisor, began to take on the duties expected of the crown princess. Much to Jade’s relief, King Carnelian had ensured that her duties were focused on traveling to far off places as a Heliodorian ambassador. Rab and King Carnelian had managed to mend their friendship, and despite Amber’s offer to let him retire to Cobblestone and be near Elian, ‘as a grandfather should’ she reminded, he respectfully declined, assuring that when he had truly ran out of energy there was no place he would rather be than living a quiet life in Cobblestone. Elian suspected that Rab missed the courtly intrigue of living in a castle and knew he would be more comfortable in Heliodor. 

“I swear to Yggdrasil, that boy! Gemma, hold this.” 

Hendrik had immediately resumed his work as a general in the Heliodorian army. Apparently, King Carnelian tried to give his favoured general some time off, time to grieve after what he learned about Jasper and his demise. Carnelian himself still bore the guilt of slaying the poor knight during his time as Mordegon’s puppet and knowing that Hendrik had to go through the same ordeal to ensure Jasper could rest only amplified that guilt. Hendrik simply refused the kindness and assured him that continuing his duties was the best way he could uphold Jasper’s memory, of the man he used to be and not the one he had become. Elian had learned just how dear Hendrik and Jasper were to the king, and how dear they were to each other, and Jasper’s demise, in two timelines not just one, weighed heavily on Elian. He knew that the snide blond knight had been manipulated into the path he took. 

“Elian, that’s enough sleeping, get up! Now!” The door to the small cottage Elian was slumbering peacefully in was practically kicked down, the sudden noise plus the breeze that immediately rushed into the room caused Elian to jolt awake, looking around blearily. Amber was rarely angry, and even now her face had softened into the usual kind smile she wore as she saw her son looking a bit lost and confused. His usually neat light brown hair was messy and stuck out at various angles at the moment, hands moving to rub at his eyes. 

“What time is it?” Elian asked, sleep thick in his voice. 

“It’s gone twelve, you’re going to be late!” Amber announced, watching as Elian still looked vaguely confused about the entire ordeal. She just sighed and closed the door behind her. “That boy.” She exclaimed, Gemma’s laugh following her words. 

“Oh!” Elian leapt out of the bed, stumbling a little as he went, suddenly remembering why his dear mother was so intent on waking him up. The group were convening on Heliodor for various reasons, and they had all decided to catch up. It had been almost eight months since Calasmos was beaten, and in that time, Elian had spent most of it in Cobblestone, recovering from his adventures, only embarking out to meet the others when they were nearby. Truth be told, he was itching to take those first steps out of Cobblestone’s gate once more. He loved being able to sleep the day away and happily relax after almost a year of fighting, but he missed visiting so many wonderful places. 

After about ten minutes, Elian emerged from the cottage, his hair washed and far tamer now, sat at his shoulders in his usual style. He had decided to use his old gear that he started out with in when he first traveled to Heliodor. His sleeveless purple tunic reached down to his knees, wrapped with a pouch laden belt and his scabbard tied across the chest. Underneath that was his simple black top and light grey pants, the Sword of Light slotted comfortably in its sheath. After so long, the outfit was a little tight in places, particularly his arms and legs that had grown stronger on his travels. He decided that slightly tight pants were a better choice than full plate mail armour. Erdrea was at peace, and he hardly needed the that kind of defense. It didn’t stop him from carrying his sword wherever he went though. 

“There you are! You had your mum in a right tizzy!” Gemma’s teasing voice drifted over as she jogged up the steps. 

“I was tired.” There was a hint of complaint in Elian’s voice, but his smile betrayed his amusement at the scenario. Gemma laughed at that one and shook her head, walking over. 

“Well you better get a move on, you’re gonna be late, can’t miss time with your Prince Charming.” She hummed, her eyebrows wiggling in an attempt to be suggestive. It went completely over Elian’s head, as did most things. He tilted his head to the side, eyes conveying confusion.

“Um, you mean Jade? She’s a princess, not a prince. And she’s _hardly_ charming. She’s wonderful, but charming isn’t the word I’d use.” Gemma promptly slapped her hand over her face, sighing. Elian would often feign ignorance to either avoid a topic, or to be funny, but Gemma could tell that he was genuinely confused. 

“I meant Erik, you silly sausage.” A light dusting of pink covered Elian’s cheeks at the mere suggestion that Erik was _his_ Prince Charming, or his anything, other than his friend. He missed Erik the most out of his friends, which was saying a lot considering he missed everyone greatly. He’d hear a scuffle in town and assume Jade or Veronica had started a fight with someone, or hear scandalised shouting and think Rab had visited and dropped some of his special magazines again. He saw his friends in everything, but no one more than Erik. The tree outside their cottage had a nest of blue birds, and the minute he saw them he had thought of Erik’s unruly plume of hair. While out shopping, he stopped by the newly established weapon and armour shop, boasting ‘blades used by the Luminary himself’. He didn’t have the heart to tell people it wasn’t entirely true, and if it was helping business, maybe it was fine. In the shop, he came across a plain looking dagger, nothing too fancy but deadly enough, he could tell, and his thoughts immediately raced to Erik, and perhaps buying the blade for him as a present. Okay, maybe it wasn’t so shocking that Gemma assumed such a thing. 

“Erik is just a friend. They all are, you know that.” He huffed, a slight pout to his bottom lip, something most people wouldn’t believe seeing on the face of the saviour of the world. Gemma rolled her eyes, subtly enough as she turned to the stairs, her blue frock blowing in the breeze. 

“I grew up with you, don’t think I don’t see that sparkle in your eyes when he’s around. And before you go off with your ‘we’re just friends’ malarkey, I see it in his eyes too. Just trust me, it’s not as platonic as you think.” She tucked her hair back behind her ear from under her red bandanna and smiled, looking back at Elian. “It’s your life, your choice. But my intuition is never wrong.” She pointed out, an accusatory point in his direction being the last thing he saw before she jogged back off down the steps, leaving him alone with his thoughts. 

It was true that he and Erik were closer, obviously, he was the first one who helped him, and had saved him countless times. It was natural that they were going to have a stronger bond, but that didn’t mean they liked each other in that way. He shook his head, eyes focused as he did his best to escape his reverie. Erik was his best friend, and one of the most important people in his life. And that was it. Done. Finished. End of story. Just thinking about Erik in such a way made his cheeks heat up more. 

_“I like you, not just in a friend way. What d’ya say partner? Give it a try?”_

Elian defiantly shook his head, ridding himself of the thought of Erik, and words he knew the thief would never say. Gemma needed her head examined. Yeah, that’s what it was. She’d gone doolally and he was fine. Nothing had changed. He realised he’d been stood outside his house for about three minutes, arguing with himself in his head about a friend he was due to see in a matter of hours. He quickly bolted from the door, rushing through the village, inner turmoil swiftly forgotten as he made his way to the gates. If he was late, Veronica’s fury would be all but unstoppable. As he reached the top of the small hill that marked the gate out of Cobblestone, Amber and Gemma were there to meet him, smiles on their faces. 

“Have yourself a good time sweetheart, and make sure not to go getting in trouble.” Amber spoke fondly as she moved to her son, giving him a farewell hug. Elian smiled and knelt a little to accommodate, returning the hug. 

“I’ll be fine mum, don’t worry.” Amber knew it already, but her motherly instinct meant she couldn’t help herself when it came to making sure Elian was careful. Everyone always told her, ‘goodness Amber, the lad saved the world, there’s no need to worry’, and despite being told that repeatedly, she never once relented in her protective nature. Truthfully, Elian appreciated it, it was her way of showing she cared. He straightened back up, looking to Gemma, offering his arms outstretched for a hug. “Gonna miss me?” He asked with a smile. 

“Hardly! I’ll get some peace and quiet.” She shot back, before they both laughed, and she moved to give him the offered hug. She gave his back a firm pat, pulling away. “Don’t be late now, and don’t do a repeat of Arboria. That nice Hendrik guy had to carry you back into town.” She teased, Elian letting out an indignant huff at her words, moving off towards the gate. 

“Yeah yeah, I know. It’s all good.” Elian reiterated, giving the pair a quick wave before turning towards the gates. His horse was saddled and ready for the trip north, something he was immensely thankful for, he’d become far too accustomed to travel by horse, he couldn’t imagine walking all the way to Heliodor when he could just use his horse. He scratched behind the beast’s ear, petting at its mane before climbing up, slinging his leg over to the other side, getting comfortable before turning to Amber and Gemma, giving a final wave before taking off. From Cobblestone to Heliodor was only about half an hour on horse, and the trip itself was for all intents and purposes, quite boring. He loved to watch the scenery go by as he traveled, but with Calasmos gone, most of the creatures that would roam the countryside were less interested in trying to attack anyone move between cities. 

The walls of Heliodor peeked over the horizon as Elian approached, a feeling of anticipation bubbling in his gut. He whipped the reins down a little, spurring his steed onward towards the bridge. Seeing Heliodor brought back so many memories, some less enjoyable than others. His imprisonment sprung to mind, but then that led to meeting Erik, and their escape, and the beginning of their adventure. Despite the hardships, he wouldn’t change any of it, not a single moment. The cast iron gate slowly lifted as he approached, the darkened metal glistening in the sun as it rose. As the curtain of metal lifted, the bustling sound of Heliodor’s market escaped out. Elian couldn’t help but smile, slowing his horse to a gentle trot as it passed the gates. He pulled the reins back, stopping the creature in its tracks, carefully climbing down. He gave the ivory horse a fond stroke to the mane before turning towards Heliodor once more. The portcullis opened out into the busy streets of Heliodor, the castle rising on the horizon behind it. Elian began to walk along the cobbled streets, eyes exploring the masonry of the walls that rose up around him. Every day in Heliodor felt like his first time, no other city in Erdrea seemed to match its grandeur. His focus shifted as he passed where the walls stood, and the city began, eyes laying on the fountain ahead. 

Taller than all, Hendrik stood stalwartly by Jade, though the faintest hint of a smile was on his lips, his violet hair his most recognisable trait, contrasted by his sleek black and gold armour. Jade had a similar look a mirth on her face, dressed in a dress of white and purple, a small crown placed atop her head. While her posture looked far more regal than he’d ever known her to be, he could tell she was the same old Jade. Rab, Veronica and Serena were chatting up a storm beside them, catching up for lost time with Sylvando interjecting whenever he had something to say, often sending Serena into hysterics. Said blonde was wearing the old dress that Elian had met her in, the simple white and green flowing down past her knees, a pair of wands held carefully on her waist. Veronica was similarly dressed in the outfit Elian knew her best in, the red dress that made her seem far younger than she truthfully was, using her staff to lean on, gently dug into the cobbles. Rab was in a more comfortable outfit, his old travel gear and fez replaced with a dignified blue and purple coat, the livery of Heliodor. He seemed to have settled into his role of advisor quite happily, going by the joyful grin on his face. Sylvando was sat by the fountain near Serena and Veronica, dressed in a snazzy teal coat and a pair of comfortable looking white trousers, likely the outfit he wore for his shows. His head was inclined up, chatting away with a figure in a faded green hoody, a sash of bright red around his waist. That outfit, Elian would always recognize. 

Sylvando was the first to catch sight of him, stopping mid conversation as a big grin split across his face. The figure he was chatting to seemed a little offended that Sylvando had stopped listening, based on his hand gestures, until the performer directed his attention. Erik turned to follow Sylvando’s waving, eyes lighting up. Everyone seemed to notice by that point, all waving and calling him over. One voice cut above the rest as he stared at his friends. 

“Hey partner!” Erik wore a beaming smile on his face, eyes focused on Elian as he beckoned him over. Seeing him again, the shock of blue hair framing his features, the look of pure happiness on his face. _“Just trust me, it’s not as platonic as you think.”_ Gemma’s words rang out in his mind. 

Fuck.


	2. Heliodorian Nights

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a great love of feral Veronica beating the shit out of people with her staff, so that got a little mention, poor nondescript guy. I also shifted perspective to Erik for this chapter, and its something that's gonna hop around a bit, but mainly stick with Elian.

The steady hum of conversation and the clink of glasses was near deafening, the warm orange glow filtering up out of the kitchen catching his attention more so than the conversation. It wasn’t the content of the conversation or the volume that had him spacing out, after all, he had been traveling Erdrea with Mia for nearly a year now, and that girl could chat up a storm about the most boring of topics and make them sort of bearable. They had been walking around Heliodor for a few hours, chatting the day away like they were back on the road, and it made Erik realize just how much he missed traveling with everyone and not just Mia. He loved his sister with everything, and after Elian managed to save her, some of that guilt he carried with him began to melt away like fresh fallen snow. Getting to show her the world was more rewarding than any of the treasures he had found on their adventure. He was simply soaking up the company, mind tranquilly blank and very mildly buzzed from a nice flagon of mead, deliciously sweet.

“… And then, Veronica hit him so hard with her staff that I think he had a concussion!” The table erupted with laughter, Veronica giving a huff of indignation despite the vaguely proud look on her face from the memory. Serena had to cover her mouth to muffle her giggles, nudging Veronica with her elbow. “It was a bit violent, but I’d say he deserved it, wouldn’t you Veronica?” She asked, her saintly smile shining through the dim candlelight of the inn. There was a faint pink to her cheeks, shared by most of the party as alcohol and good food flowed freely.

“Well, obviously! I wouldn’t have whacked him so hard if he didn’t deserve it.” She said, a rare laugh escaping, a laugh not directed at someone else’s suffering, except maybe the lecherous creep her and Serena were discussing. She had quite a wicked sense of humour, but looking after a party of drunken heroes definitely made nearly everything they did amusing. Luckily, they were only a little buzzed, or else she’d have start whacking some more. With her unfortunate form, she wasn’t allowed anywhere near alcohol, which she supposed was a sign that the innkeepers were at least doing their jobs.

“It is admirable to see you protect your sister so valiantly, Veronica. Quite right.” Hendrik raised his tankard, a content smile on his face before taking another sip. Veronica and Serena shared a giggle at his straightforward words, despite his slight inebriation. He was holding back, serving as Jade’s bodyguard during her excursion from the castle, but he could clearly hold his alcohol better than most. Erik wasn’t all that surprised, Hendrik was a colossus after all, and it would likely take the inn’s entire store of mead to get him as drunk as some of their group. Red faced and snickering, Rab was chatting up a storm to Sylvando and Elian, completely oblivious to the world around him it seemed. Elian must have inherited his grandfather’s lack of fortitude when it came to alcohol, he had only had one tankard of mead and yet he was nearly as giggly as Rab was.

Watching the trio, his eyes caught Sylvando’s, and the performer seemed to have a brainwave, seeming to remember something he was going to ask. “Oh, Erik honey! Where’s Mia? I assumed she’d be joining us.” He pointed out curiously, wheeling the group conversation around to him. Veronica facepalmed, immediately assuming that Erik had abandoned his sister on the roadside somewhere.

“Relax Sylv, Mia’s in Hotto, she managed to make some friends with the locals and asked to stay, she really liked the hot springs. I got a lift over by a kindly ship captain, no thanks to you.” He teased, snickering a little as Sylvando rolled his eyes, laughing a little. “I’ll head back over in the morning and pick her up.” He explained, as if to placate Veronica’s sudden anger. After her story about knocking someone for six with her staff, he really didn’t want to be on the receiving end of that.

“She managed to make friends? Are you sure you’re related?” That particular zinger came from Jade, who’s eyes widened at her words, covering her mouth. “I don’t know where that came from.” She admitted, before laughing. Everyone followed, even Elian had to laugh at that, having to look away from Erik’s mildly shocked face.

“Even you’re laughing at that, so much for a good partner!” He exclaimed, a faux look of hurt on his face, before Elian descended into even more giggles because of it. Erik was relieved that he’d partaken in a lot of the alcohol that was passed around, he could blame his blushing on the alcohol and not his best friends face, covered In joy and mirth. He had it real, real bad. He whirled around to Jade.

“I’ll tell you where it came from, all that booze you’re knocking back!” Erik announced, a grin on his lips. “Barkeep, no more mead for the princess please!” He called, the table descending into even more laughter as Jade swung her empty tankard about, a drunken smile plastered over her face. Even Hendrik was in stitches over the scenario. After they had managed to calm down, Jade announced that it was high time they returned to the castle, Hendrik giving a dutiful nod, Rab on the opposite foot as he looked ready to complain, holding his tankard of mead closer like a baby that needed to be cradled.

“Lord Robert, I will not be carrying you back to the castle, it’s best you give up your cup before I have to drag you back.” Hendrik said, rising from his seat. There was no malice behind his words, but it was enough to make Rab relent, chuckling as he set his tankard.

“Och, you’re no fun Hendrik, and either way. You only had to carry me back the one time, willnae happen again, ye have my word.” Rab said, with Elian rolling his eyes at that. Erik doubted it’d be the last time too, and shook his head.

“It was good to see you three, we need to get together more often! Unfortunately, Veronica and I need to be heading off too. She has a meeting in Gallopolis with a scholar, and I promised Sylvando that I’d visit Gallopolis to lend my harp to his show. I’m ever so nervous!” Serena said with a soft giggle. Veronica seemed to suddenly remember her prior plans with the scholar, perking up.

“Bugger, I completely forgot! We need to be there by morning, he’s such a pernickety bastard!” She exclaimed, before Serena covered her mouth to try and stem the flow of anger that was sure to follow. Sylvando, being the eminently helpful guy he tended to be, and thanks to his apparent immunity to alcohol, going by the fact that he seemed exactly the same as he’d been hours ago, despite drinking just as much as the rest of them, offered up a solution.

“Oh Veronica darling, no need to worry, Dave and I can get you to Gallopolis in no time, the ship is moored just down the way.” Serena thanked Sylvando profusely as Veronica seemed to calm down, sighing a little. Sylvando flashed Erik a little smile as Veronica and Serena rose up from their seats alongside the royal retinue. Erik suddenly realized that the sly smile from Sylvando was in reference to the fact that it was only going to be him and Elian left at the table, and Sylvando _knew_ that Erik would never just abandon the poor sap when he was drunk, and since Elian had already told his family he’d be staying in Heliodor for the night, he’d have to help his inebriated friend to the inn room.

Well played, you fabulous asshole.

“It really was good to see you all, hopefully we can catch up again soon!” Elian said, the first proper thing he’d said in a while that wasn’t a laugh. “I missed everyone.” He admitted quietly, a small smile that was almost sad as he realized that the group was splitting apart yet again.

“We’ll all be together again soon El, I promise.” Jade said, giving a small curtsy, eliciting a chuckle between Elian and Erik, neither of them that used to Jade embodying her position as princess. She gave the pair a warning look before grinning, heading out of the inn with Hendrik and Rab in tow, Sylvando, Serena and Veronica following soon after. Erik cleared his throat as a small silence settled between the pair. He glanced to his side, catching sight of Elian. His eyes were a little downcast, but as soon as he caught sight of Erik, he lit up, cheeks rosy, his grin glowing through the gloom.

“Today was wonderful, don’t you think Erik?” Elian asked, sighing happily as he picked up his tankard, taking another drink until it was all gone. Even when Elian seemed so sad just a moment ago, he managed to light up just like that. Perks of being the Luminary, Erik supposed. He was light incarnate, and it drew Erik ever closer.

“It was great partner, really great. What d’ya say we order some actual food though? We only really got some snacks and you’ve been knocking ‘em back as much as Jade was, alcohol ain’t kind to an empty stomach.” He pointed out, to which Elian nodded in agreement, quite enthusiastically too.

“Yes please! I’ll have the…”

“Herb crusted lamb and roast potatoes, yeah I remember.” Erik said, grinning as Elian’s face got a little bit redder, a bashful look showing itself.

“Well, you’re going to order the honey glazed chicken with rice!” He shot back defiantly, causing Erik to give him a pretend gasp.

“You remembered! Best partner in all of Erdrea.” He joked, giving him a little salute before turning on his heel to saunter off towards the barkeeper. After the defeat of Mordegon, the party had spent some time in Heliodor, doing their best to learn about Erdwin’s Lantern before going out into the world to combat the threat. Erik and Elian spent a lot of their time at the inn with the rest of the group, learning what they liked to eat. Erik even seemed eager to learn to cook, taking a more active role when they made camp and made food for the night. Knowing that hopefully one day he’d get to free Mia, he wanted to improve his cooking skills to help look after her.

Erik slipped the barkeep a handful of gold coins, ordering Elian and himself the meals they’d grown to love from Heliodor’s inn, insisting when the man attempted give them a discount on the food, making sure he accepted the money, since they’d gotten lots of free snacks and drinks thanks to being in the company of the crown princess. He may be a thief, but he knew just how good the food at the inn was and was more than happy to pay in full. After getting their order in, the blue haired rogue made his way back to the table, two flagons of mead in his hands.

“Alright, o’ hero of legend, take this one slowly, food should be here soon.” He teased, settling down into the chair next to Elian’s, handing the honeyed alcohol over.

“Okay okay, you’re getting worse than my mum.” He pointed out with an amused snicker, taking a small sip before setting it back down. Elian tugged his feet up onto the edge of the chair, turning to Erik. “So, everyone kinda just, talked and talked earlier, we didn’t get a word in edgewise. How is travelling with Mia going?” He asked, a curious look on his face as he smiled, head tilted a little to the side. Having Elian’s undivided attention was nice, a soft warmth flowing through him that he could hardly blame on the alcohol.

“It’s been good, really good honestly. I’ve missed everyone like crazy, but getting to show Mia the world like she’s always wanted has been really great. We visited Gallopolis last week, and she was complaining constantly. In her defence, we’d been living in the snow all our lives. I had my swindlers gear on me, so I managed to get some relief from the heat, but Mia was just yapping about the sun constantly. I think we spent about half an hour in a clothes store trying to get something that’d keep her cool.” He explained, an amused grin on his lips. He liked to complain about his sister, but he couldn’t really blame her, his first time in Gallopolis was rough too. He could’ve sworn Elian’s flushed cheeks got a hint darker when he brought up the swindlers outfit that Erik had learned to love and have on him whenever they were going somewhere hot. He pushed past that, sure that he was just imagining things. “So, what about you? How’s the life of luxury and relaxation treating you?”

Elian laughed along with Erik’s tale, rolling his eyes at his final question. “It’s been nice honestly, but I kinda miss it y’know? Traveling, fighting, being with the others. Though I definitely don’t miss having to get up super early. I was almost late today; I woke up past twelve.” He said, a sheepish grin on his lips as he scratched the back of his head, Erik snickering a little at that. A waitress arrived just as he was about to respond, a pair of plates on one arm, a glass pitcher of water in her spare hand. She passed them their food and set the pitcher down, wishing them an enjoyable meal, scurrying off to grab some glasses.

“You? Struggling to wake up early? I’m shocked partner.” He teased, a wide smile on his lips as the waitress returned with the glasses. He caught the sweet, doe eyed gaze she gave Elian as he accepted the glass from her, giving her the same radiant kindness that he gave everyone. Despite that knowledge, the fact that it was just how Elian was, he couldn’t supress the tinge of jealousy in his heart. Elian might have missed it, but Erik could see right through her. He didn’t blame her really, so many people seemed to become infatuated with the Luminary, Veronica once said it was probably a gift from Yggdrasil, the ability to draw people in, but Elian never once noticed. He just continued to be his kind self. Erik even felt a little sad for the waitress, once he pushed down the ugly jealousy that had briefly flared up. _‘You and me both, sister’._

“Erik? You okay, I think the alcohol is getting to you now.” He felt Elian’s hand on his shoulder, shaking him out of his thoughts. His friend’s face had the slightest hint of concern on it, but his smile was still there, in the other hand his fork had a slice of herb crusted lamb pierced through, some gravy dripping of the piece of well-cooked meat.

“Uh, yeah, sorry partner, my bad, I was just a little lost there.” He explained, looking down at the meal before him, smiling. “This looks just as delicious as the last time I had it.” He took a swig of his mead before digging into his food. Their discussion had muted a little as they continued to eat and drink, little quips here and there about their experiences after the fall of Calasmos, chatting well into the evening. As the sun began setting on Heliodor, Erik straightened up in his seat, head a little cloudy as he set down his second flagon, blowing out a breath of relief.

“Feelin’ okay Erik?” Elian’s words were slightly slurred, leaning back in his chair as he gazed up at the ceiling, a soft hiccup escaping him. Erik watched him and shook his head, smiling.

“I’m fine partner, honestly, I’m more worried about you. You’re looking a little out of it.” He teased, standing up from his spot. He reached down and offered his hand, waiting until Elian accepted, pulling himself up with a wobble. “C’mon, let’s get you to bed before you throw up everywhere.” He said, causing Elian to giggle at the assertation.

“I’m the Luminary, I wouldn’t throw up! I’m an adult.” He huffed, then almost fell onto his face in the same breath, only staying upright thanks to Erik’s steady hand.

“Whatever you say El.” He said with a chuckle, leading the man over to a kind, portly woman who was stood behind the desk, the sign hung beneath the desk emblazoned with a bed. He wasn’t as close with this innkeeper as he was with Ruby, the inn proprietress from Heliodor’s downtown, but he was nice and polite to her either way, getting them a room in the inn for the night. He thanked her and took the offered key, his other arm securely around Elian’s waist as he mumbled something that might have passed as a thank you, waving to her as Erik helped him up the stairs to their room for the night.

“Hey Erik, you’re stronger than you look.” He said, laughing a little as he was hefted up the stairs, feet catching on every other step, then continued to giggle at his own words, well and truly lost to the alcohol.

“Yeah, helping defeat some kinda void monstrosity, that was easy, but hefting your fat ass up the stairs? That requires true strength.” He shot back, snickering as Elian whined, smacking his arm. There was some mumbling from the inebriated Luminary, something along the lines of ‘it’s not fat, you’re fat’ which Erik decided he didn’t really need to reply to, especially with Elian like this. With some difficulty, Erik finally got the door open, trying to juggle the precise movements of unlocking the door with the less precise movements of attempting to keep Elian upright. He shuffled into the room, kicking the door shut before moving to the bed. As carefully as he could with the admittedly heavy Luminary on his shoulder, he set Elian down on one of the beds.

“See, strong.” Elian mumbled, flopping back onto the bed, another hiccup escaping his lips. Erik didn’t say anything, only smiling as he walked over to the window. Heliodorian summer nights were warm enough that he could afford to open the window. He took a cursory look around the small room they’d been given, a fairly plain room with a wardrobe by the wall near the door, a table at the centre of the room, and a pair of beds by the opposite end of the room, separated by a bedside table and a window.

“It’s definitely worth the price, don’t ya think? They could even charge extra.” He hummed, turning from the table to Elian, surprised that the other man was stood directly in front of him instead of on the bed where he’d left him. “El? You doing…?” He was cut off as Elian grabbed him by the front of his hoodie, leaning down just a little to press their lips together. Erik’s eyes widened, not knowing what to do with his hands until he just gave up, dropping them to his sides as Elian kissed him.

Ashamedly, the first thought wasn’t ‘By Yggdrasil, what is happening’, and was more in line with wondering if Elian had always been that much taller than him that he had to lean down into the kiss. Elian began to intensify the kiss when Erik didn’t respond, his other hand looping down around his lower back, a soft affirming noise escaping the lips against Erik’s own. His lips tasted of honey, and something unfamiliar, something that he felt was undeniably Elian. In a moment of weakness, Erik’s lips responded, eyes fluttering closed as he returned the passionate kiss. It lasted a few more seconds before Elian pulled back, hands dropping from Erik’s body as he panted, cheeks rosy, his lips full and red after the intense kiss. Erik turned away, panting too, thoughts racing.

“I uh, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have kissed back, that was wrong of me, you’re drunk, and y’know, I am too but still, I shouldn’t have let myself be weak like that.” He turned around, eyes laying on Elian, flopped back onto the bed on the right, snoring emanating from the sleeping Luminary.

“Annnnnnd you’re asleep.” He said, sighing softly. He shuffled over to the window, resting his arms on the edge as he peered out into the dark. Despite how awfully he felt about taking advantage of Elian’s drunken mistake, it really was one of the happiest days he’d had since they had defeated Calasmos. Being together with everyone again made him so happy, and being able to see Elian again, without Mia constantly teasing him about his obviousness, just made it all the better. He sighed again, rubbing at his eyes, looking down into the darkened streets as people went about their business, heading home for the night. Erik pulled away from the window, closing it over a little as he approached the bed. He lifted Elian’s legs up onto the bed properly, before shuffling over to the second bed.

“Erik, don’t leave me alone.” Elian’s words were slurred and exhausted, but Erik had heard the Luminary mumbling in his sleep before, this was different. He turned back to see Elian, half asleep, arms outstretched and reaching for the rogue. His cheeks shuffled over, kneeling at the side of the bed, resting his hand on Elian’s cheek, as the other man’s hands came to rest on his shoulders.

“I’m right here partner, just across the room, don’t worry.” He assured, brushing his thumb gently under Elian’s half opened eye. “You should just try and get some rest.” Before he was able to pull away fully, Elian latched onto his arm like a vice, face buried into the sleeve of his hoodie. Erik pinched the bridge of his nose with the arm that wasn’t captured by a sleepy, shitfaced Elian.

“If Veronica finds out about this, forget the staff, I’m getting burnt to ashes. Forget Veronica, Jade’ll probably kill me faster.” He mumbled quietly to himself, so he wouldn’t wake the half-asleep boy. Without about as much grace as a lumbering giant, he managed to move Elian across the bed so that his back was against the wall, all the while he kept on snuggling into Erik’s arm. Erik lay down opposite Elian, and carefully pried one of the sleeping man’s arms off his own. As soon as he’d managed it, Elian instinctively reached out, looping his arm around Erik’s waist, pulling him closer. With Elian’s face buried in his chest, Erik let out a soft sigh, gently stroking a hand through his hair, sleep starting to catch up on him too.

“Goodnight Elian. I’m sorry.” He murmured, closing his eyes as sleep finally claimed him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for taking the time to read this! I'm hoping to make chapter updates way more regular as Erik and Elian embark on a new adventure.


	3. Hotto Bound

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took WAY longer than intended, but I've been mega busy this month with work searching and such, but I've also been thinking on the direction I want to take the story. With a bit more thought put in, I think I'll be able to get more frequent updates out.

Erik let out a disgruntled groan, sunlight hitting his closed eyelids. His head throbbed, his mouth was dry, and his body was coated in a thin sheen of sweat. He was hungover. He buried his face further into the immovable wall in front of him, relieved that the sun seemed to relent in its assault of his senses. Then the wall moved. Then his brain actually started to work rather than scream at him for his overzealous drinking the prior night. He was in the inn in Heliodor, in a bed he was sharing with Elian, the Luminary who shared a drunken kiss with him, which Erik reciprocated, knowing full well that Elian didn’t know what he was doing. The throbbing pain in his head took a backseat to the guilt in his heart. He slowly opened his eyes, grunting a little as he shuffled back, dealing with the sun’s cruel shine in his eyes. As he adjusted to the light, he realized that Elian was awake, and he was staring at the rogue with an unreadable expression on his face, cheeks rosy pink.

“Why are we sharing a bed?” Elian asked, reaching up to rub at his eyes, groaning a little, no doubt as hungover as Erik was, if not more.

“Uh, you had drunk a lot, and I didn’t think it was best to leave you alone in case you just threw up everywhere.” He said with a sheepish chuckle, the breezy noise irritating his senses immediately as he untangled himself from Elian’s limbs, pulling away. He could’ve sworn he saw a ghost of disappointment on Elian’s face as the rogue pulled away. He thought it was for the best to lie and ensure that Elian wasn’t embarrassed by his drunken actions, both the kiss and the clingy refusal to let Erik go.

“Oh, right, thanks Erik.” Elian shone him a big smile, which only managed to deepen his guilt.

“You got it partner.” He said, pushing the sadness down. He climbed up out of the bed, coughing a little. “You think antidotal herbs would cure a hangover?” He asked, scooping his personal effects up off the table, putting his bag on his back and his belt of knives around his waist. Elian only laughed, not entirely sure if it would cure their idiocy.

“Maybe try some panacea.” He suggested, causing Erik to let a laugh past, managing to smile. Maybe if he just didn’t think about it, it’d be easier to move on.

“Y’know what, I think I just might. I’ll head down to the item shop now.” Erik said, approaching the door before Elian stopped him, grabbing his wrist. His cheeks brightened, his mind immediately going back to Elian’s hand on his hoodie, their bodies pressed together, the passion.

So much for not thinking about it.

“I’ll catch up but don’t go far, I’ll warp you over to Hotto, means you won’t have to catch a ship over.” Elian said, offering him a smile as he turned back into the room, moving to grab his scabbard, seeming confused as to when he took it off. Erik sighed a little, but nodded, not finding the heart to argue with the Luminary. More time spent with Elian was a blessing, but after last night, it was feeling more like a curse. He slipped out the door, clicking it shut before leaning on it, letting out a breath of relief. Then he heard words coming from the room he had just left, Elian was talking to himself. He’d already broke his trust, why not eavesdrop. He sighed and moved around, pressing his ear up against the door.

“… He doesn’t remember, thank Yggdrasil… Stupid mistake…” Snippets of Elian’s words were all Erik could really make out. His heart sank as he heard the words. He wasn’t the only one keeping the secret, Elian remembered the kiss and regretted it. In some way, his guilt started to ease, knowing that Elian was a bit more conscious of his choices, but it was replaced with a hollow feeling in his gut. It was no secret that Erik adored the other man, just ask anyone who knew them, and it was true both ways, but with their time apart, Erik began to realize that his adoration wasn’t as innocent as he believed Elian’s to be. It was better this way, at least that’s what he told himself. He could continue to be Elian’s best friend, and that was all he ever needed. To stand with the Luminary was his life’s calling, but now that life in Erdrea was safe again, he found it hard to think of another use for his life. He’d often daydream of domestic bliss in Cobblestone with Elian. Years ago, the idea of living in a backwater as some kind of househusband would have repulsed him, and obviously, he loved to travel the world and spend time with his sister, but the draw of life with Elian was undeniable. He pushed off from the door and quickly made his way downstairs, trying to banish the thoughts that swirled around in his head.

Getting out of the inn and into the morning sun proved to help clear his mind. There was a comforting buzz of activity as the sun rose higher into the sky, people beginning to open up shop, chatting on the street. It was the sound of life, flourishing under a newfound feeling of peace. It warmed Erik’s heart to see, knowing that he was instrumental in helping to ensure that Erdrea was saved. If he was more conceited, he’d brag about the fact more often, but he always knew that Elian was the hero in their tale. He traversed the streets with purpose, leaving the inn from the entrance closest to Heliodor’s main gate, turning to his right to approach the fountain. A pair of kids ran past, yelling and laughing, their parents trailing behind, chatting to one another. He walked past swiftly, keeping his head down as he turned the corner, walking over to the item shop. His mannerisms were a bygone relic of his early days as a rogue, doing his best to avoid people seeing his face. Elian would always scold him for the action, telling him that he didn’t have to hide his face when he was around. That was of course, after they’d managed to escape the Heliodorian military a handful of times. He definitely assumed that Elian’s confidence stemmed from their continued success against the forces of evil, but he couldn’t deny that Elian’s unwavering determination and confidence was another reason he felt so drawn to the hero.

About three minutes he’d managed to go without thinking about Elian.

“Ahem, are you feeling okay my dear?” Behind the counter of the item shop, that he had apparently walked into while he was lost in thought, a kindly older woman spoke. She seemed a little confused, which was no surprise, Erik was just stood in the doorway, looking lost and deep in thought.

“Oh, sorry ma’am.” He managed to use his words politely enough, walking over to the desk. “I was wondering if you’ve got some panacea stocked? For uh, some weak poisons.” He explained, looking around the shop. It was a quaint little shop, with a few choice items lining the shelves, like chimaera wings and medicinal herbs.

“You mean a hangover? I can smell the alcohol.” She said, quite frankly too, but there was an amused smile plastered on her face. Great, he was gonna be an amusing tale at this nice lady’s book club, no doubt about it.

“Heh, sorry again.” He said, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. It looks like his bluffing skills were getting a little rusty. Spending so many months with a sister who could see right through him certainly didn’t help. The woman smiled and took a step back, kneeling down under the counter, taking out a small bushel of herbs, turquoise blue in colouration.

“If you dice these up and put them into boiling water for a few minutes, it should make a tea that’ll help with the headache, and the ill feeling.” She said, chuckling softly as she handed them over, accepting payment from the bashful rogue who thanked her for the herbs. Who knew medicinal herbs came in such useful variants. He stepped out of the shop, almost yelling in surprise as Elian was stood right outside the door, offering up a small smile as Erik exited.

  * \- 



After Erik had left the room, Elian let out a sigh of relief, his cheeks burning with memories of last night. “I can’t believe I did that, ugh.” He groaned, rubbing at his eyes. “At least he doesn’t remember, thank Yggdrasil. He doesn’t need to be hurt by my stupid mistake.” He mumbled to himself quietly, looking down at himself. His clothing was rumpled, and as he breathed in, his senses were overwhelmed by the stench of alcohol coming from him. At least Erik was going to hopefully find something for them to quell the horrible feeling in his stomach. And his head. And his back was feeling a little worse for wear, now that he thought about it. He shook his head, making sure his scabbard was fastened correctly, the Sword of Light safely secured within. Elian did a quick rudimentary clean of the room, making sure that whichever inn worker had to clean up the room properly had an easier job. Once he was done, he made his way out of the room, and out of the inn.

Once out in Heliodor, the smell of alcohol was replaced by the various smells of the street, primarily breakfast foods being sold at nearby stalls and the smell of flowers from other stalls. He walked past quickly, his stomach lurching at the idea of any food, even if he was hungry. He jogged up the steps of the item shop that Erik must have gone to, reaching out to open the door before it swung open. Elian yelped and stumbled back just in time to avoid getting knocked onto his ass. He caught sight of Erik, who was busy stuffing some herbs into a small pouch on his belt. He smiled as the rogue saw him, seeing the shock in his eyes before recognition flashed, and Erik heaved out a sigh of relief.

“C’mon partner, are you trying to give me a heart attack?” He asked, lips curling up into an amused smile as Elian laughed. The Luminary shook his head, grinning a little as he nodded to the small satchel of herbs.

“You got something to help? Getting close to you, I can’t really figure out which of us smells worse.” Elian said with a sheepish chuckle, reversing down the small set of steps as Erik followed him down onto the street, a fake look of offense plastered over his face.

“Obviously you. You managed to knock back a criminal amount of booze.” Erik said, snickering at the pout Elian wore on his face after that. He swore that teasing him was Erik’s favourite pastime, it was what he seemed to spend his time doing whenever they met up.

“Oh please, I saw how much drink you had, you made Rab look like a saint.” Elian shot back, laughing softly. He’d never quite gotten used to calling Rab grandad, he was too used to using the man’s name over a family title, and Rab seemed happier to keep it that way too. “Now come on, we’ve got to get you back to Hotto.” He said, offering his hand out for Erik to take. Using ‘Zoom’ definitely took the fun out of travelling across Erdrea, in Elian’s opinion anyway, but with no ship to speak of, and Hotto being on a different landmass, they didn’t have a lot of options.

“Rushing me off so you can get rid of me? I’m hurt partner.” Erik’s grin betrayed his actual feelings on the matter as he grasped Elian’s hand. It wasn’t usually necessary to have contact when using Zoom, but Elian distinctly remembered a time when Veronica was left behind in Puerto Valor while the rest of the party were warped off to Lonalulu. After drawing straws, Elian was forced to go back for Veronica alone and face her wrath. It was a harrowing experience for sure, and he wasn’t entirely sure if the many expletives that she shouted were enhanced or dulled by the fact that she looked much younger than she actually was.

“Hold on tight.” Was all Elian said, light enveloping the pair as they were launched skyward. He was unsure if it was the same experience for everyone, but when he used Zoom, it was as if the world fell away, leaving him floating in the sky in nothingness. It wasn’t the same ominous void that they had fought Calasmos in, it was tranquil and light, with Erdrea far beneath them. After mere moments in the spaces between, he would land right outside the place he thought of. Using Zoom wasn’t like picking out a location on the map, it was an instinctual thing, just using his mind.

As the pair landed in Hotto, Erik released his grip, stretching his arms over his head, a faint grunt escaping him. “I’ve missed that rush.” He admitted, walking off from Elian’s side towards the gates of Hotto. The place was as peaceful as ever, Elian noticed, and much more people milled about in the main square. Erik glanced around, raising an eyebrow. Tourists could be seen all over, buying from stalls and exploring the town. Now that the darkness had been pushed back, travel between towns and cities was much more common, and tourism seemed to be booming no matter where they went. Heliodor had definitely been much livelier.

“So, where’d you abandon Mia?” Elian asked, a grin on his lips as Erik shot him a look. If he was anyone else, he’d have imagined that Erik would have smacked him. He walked over to where Erik was stood, watching the town.

“Har har.” He replied, a deadpan expression on his face as he turned back to look on at Hotto. “I told her I’d be back around this time; she was more than happy to explore Hotto with her new friends and spend the cash she’d saved up.” Erik explained, looking around at the crowds.

Elian spotted the shock of blue hair that matched Erik’s, bustling through the crowd before leaping out of it, landing in front of the rogue. Mia stood up straight, still a little bit shorter than her brother, hands on her hips as she squared up to him.

“There you are! I’ve been waiting for ages for you to get here! You also stink, just by the way. Oh, hey Elian!” She gave the Luminary a quick wave before returning her focus to her brother. Elian returned the greeting but guessed that it was lost on her. “And don’t even get me started on how _expensive_ this place is, I only manged to buy myself a nice necklace before I stopped shopping.” Erik gave her an affirmative pat on the head, crouching a little to get to eye level.

“Mia, breathe.” He instructed, only causing her to scowl at her brother, a huff escaping. “Sorry I was late, and sorry that I stink, we’ll get going soon, I promise. I’m gonna head up to the baths, and probably get my clothes washed too. Go make sure you’ve got everything from the inn, okay?” He asked, smiling a little. It was strange to see Erik like this, authoritative but also soft and kind. The rogue had his back to Elian, but the Luminary could practically hear the smile in his voice. Mia tried to stay grumpy, but eventually she just nodded, a hint of a grin on her lips as she shot off into the crowd. “Fancy joining me?” Erik threw the offer back casually, turning to look at Elian.

Elian’s mind went into overdrive, thinking about Erik in the baths. Erik in nothing but underwear. He cleared his throat, willing away the blush that threatened to crawl up his cheeks. “Mhm, that sounds like a good idea, if I show back up at mum’s smelling like this, she might hit me with a rolling pin.” He said, laughing a little. Erik shared the laugh, gesturing for him to follow as he took off towards the upper parts of Hotto, going to the sauna house that Hotto was famed for. Elian followed swiftly, jogging up the steps after him.

After their first visit, Erik had managed to strike up a rapport with the person who ran the steam baths and had been in contact after Calasmos’ defeat. They had told Erik of their expansion, building out further onto the natural hot springs, and now had a mineral rich bathing experience, something that they had been working on for years, filtered in and out after every patron’s visit. It had caused an economic boom for Hotto’s tourism, as countless people would travel to the town to visit and experience the new baths.

Once Erik and Elian had paid their fee, they made their way out the back of the facility through a new path which led behind the building. Covered by high wooden partitions and various shrubbery, Erik and Elian were given a twenty-minute slot in the mineral baths, plus a complimentary laundry service. Before the male bathing area there was a room for leaving behind your clothing, a small and well maintained room with various lockers. Elian took his scabbard off from his back, and his belt of pouches, putting them in the locker for safekeeping. Erik did the same with his own belt and daggers, before he disrobed without much effort. Elian quickly looked away and did the same, undressing down to his boxers. He hung his clothing up on the rack for the bath attendant, before heading into the baths, feeling Erik at his back, the door closing behind them.

The bath itself was nice, it retained some of the original geography of what would have been here, wooden slats working as a pathway over the stone and dirt towards the geothermally heated water. Elian turned to ask Erik a question, but whatever he’d planned to ask dissolved in his throat.

Erik was as naked as the day he was born, hands on his hips as he looked around the bath, whistling. “This place is pretty nice; I never got a chance to check it out before I made my way over to Heliodor.” Erik exclaimed, before looking back to Elian. His relaxed demeanour shifted to embarrassment as he laid eyes on Elian and his underwear. “You didn’t-“

“Nope.” Elian interrupted, struggling to tear his eyes away from Erik and his assets.

“Was I supposed to keep-“

“I have no idea.” Elian said, whirling around so he wasn’t staring. Erik had very clearly seen him staring, there was no denying it. He could accurately describe what he saw down to the last detail. He sort of wanted to. Before Erik could say anything in his defence, Elian quickly whipped his underwear down, abandoning them as he quickly made his way into the baths, no doubt giving Erik quite the view of his behind as he settled into the water. After a few moments, Erik joined him in the water, cheeks dark red, much like Elian’s.

An awkward silence descending on the pair. Elian couldn’t stop picturing it in his head, and he was sure Erik was ridiculously embarrassed by his misstep. He needed to clear the air.

“So, the carpet matches the drapes, huh?” Elian asked, a small grin curling onto his lips. Erik caught his eyes before bursting into laughter. Relief washed over Elian as he joined in with the laughter. He was so glad that things hadn’t suddenly gotten awkward between the pair.

He still couldn’t get his mind off of Erik’s dick though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading! c:


	4. To Live Freely

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eyyyyy, this one didn't take almost a month. Hope you guys enjoy!

Their time in the baths went smoothly from there on out, aside from when it came to actually leaving the baths, in which Elian made Erik cover his face so he could run to the locker room, covering himself with his cupped hands. It was less than respectable for a Luminary to hightail it out of a bath like an embarrassed kid, but he still wasn’t quite as confident as Erik with showing himself off, even if he longed to show himself to the rogue. Frankly, he doubted that Erik had covered his face all that well, feeling his eyes on his back as he fled. There was something liberating, exciting about knowing that Erik had seen him like that.

Once Elian had left the baths, his outfit was hanging where he’d left it, pristine and smelling faintly of lavender. He smiled to himself and quickly got dressed, finishing strapping his scabbard onto his back when Erik left the bath. Elian managed not to stare a hole into the rogue’s body, instead keeping his eyes level with Erik’s, ignoring his peripheral vision. “That bath was well worth the price.” Elian said, a comfortably blissed smile on his face. Even after getting dressed, his body felt far more relaxed, any knots he felt in his muscles long since faded away.

Erik walked over to his clothes, quickly pulling them on over his damp body. Elian ashamedly turned around, eyes failing to resist looking the rogue up and down. He wasn’t nearly as muscular as someone like Hendrik, obviously, and even Elian was a bit beefier than Erik, but his build was lithe and agile, befitting of a rogue, and certainly filled out in the right places.

When Elian’s time on this world would come to an end, and he’d return to Yggdrasil, he could already tell She would be judging him.

“It definitely was, the steam baths are nice, don’t get me wrong, but damn that mineral bath did wonders.” Erik praised, opening his locker to grab his personal effects. He stretched his arms up over his head, letting out a noise akin to a grunt, his relaxed muscles likely protesting the exertion. Elian knew exactly how he felt.

“So, what’s next for you? More travelling with Mia?” He asked, heading to the door, swinging it open for Erik to follow him. Thankfully, the warm air of Hotto wasn’t too much of a shift from the warmth of the baths, so making their way back through town wasn’t torture.

“Yeah, we’re heading to Puerto Valor next. Shocking surprise, Mia wants to give gambling a go.” He said, causing Elian to laugh. He really wasn’t surprised; the younger girl took after her brother when it came to treasure. With the world much more peaceful, going treasure hunting wasn’t exactly something you could do, so the casino would be the next best thing.

“So Octagonia after that?” He quizzed, an amused grin on his lips. Erik let out a groan of distaste.

“Don’t give her ideas.” Erik complained, making his way down the stairs towards the lowest part of Hotto, by the gates. Mia was waiting by them, chatting with a pair of girls and a boy, Hotto locals going by their clothing, and as they approached, their unique way of speaking through haiku. Mia caught sight of Erik and Elian, explaining to her new friends, who quickly dispersed, off to do whatever a teenager did in Hotto.

“Is it finally time to go?” Mia asked, excitement sparkling in her eyes. “I wanna go to the beach!” She exclaimed excitedly, walking over the pair.

“You want to go to the casino; you’re not fooling anyone.” Erik shot back, causing Mia to scowl up at him, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Um, I should probably get going, my mum’s going to be wondering where I am.” Elian sheepishly interjected, scratching the back of his head. Erik seemed to instantly forget his little standoff with Mia, turning to face the Luminary.

“Oh, yeah, sorry I kept you longer than expected. Uh…” He paused, seeming to think for a moment before walking over to Elian, pulling him into an embrace. Elian was sure he saw a hint of sadness in his friend’s eyes when he’d told him he was leaving. Elian lifted his arms to Erik’s chest, hugging him closer, face buried into the rogue’s shoulder.

“You’ll see me again, don’t worry.” He mumbled against the soft material of Erik’s hoodie, the scent of lavender filling his nostrils. His words of assurance were mainly in reference to the fact that Erik was holding him so close he was worried that if the rogue were any stronger, he might have bruised a rib.

“Why not just come with us?” Mia’s voice pulled them out of their focus on the hug, causing them both to look over, awkwardly considering they seemed unwilling to let go of each other. “Erik was saying that you’re missing the life of adventure, he could tell the last time we visited Cobblestone. Just join us for a little while, your mum will understand.” Mia put forth a pretty solid argument, and Elian was struggling to find a reason not to stay with them. He refused to look at Erik, knowing that his hopeful eyes would break his resolve. He thought to himself, facing scrunching up a little as he weighed up the positives and the negatives.

The pros of travelling with Erik and Mia, in Elian’s mind at least, included getting to spend more time with his best friend, get to know his sister a bit more, travel Erdrea again and itch the urge to explore that he’s been having for the past few months, see and appreciate all the different cities that he’d managed to help during the battle against Mordegon and Calasmos, and he’d be able to use some of the gold he’d saved up after their first adventure to buy things other than weapons and armour.

The cons of travelling with Erik and Mia, in Elian’s mind at least, was that he wouldn’t get to see his mum and Gemma as often, and he’d miss his bed.

He sighed, realizing just how little he wanted to stay in Cobblestone right now. He loved his home, and he loved being there, helping out with its rebuilding, and just existing peacefully, but after months of travelling with his friends, he’d, as Serena would often say, had _‘picked up a minstrel’s soul’_ , which apparently meant that he’d discovered the love of travel. Veronica would usually interject that it would only work if he’d also magically discovered a talent for a musical instrument and the ability to recite epic poetry. Either way, he liked the saying, so much so that it stuck with him.

“Well, partner? What d’ya say?” Erik’s voice took him out of his contemplation, refocusing him on the question at hand.

“I uh, I guess I could come along for a little while.” Elian said tentatively. He could feel the smile radiating from Erik as he said it, Mia’s own mouth curling up into a big grin.

“Great! So…” She dug into the satchel she had slung over her shoulder, Elian realizing that Erik’s own was sat by her feet. He didn’t have anything with him for travelling, other than some medicinal herbs and money in the pouches on his belt. He turned to Erik while Mia was busy, flashing him a quick smile. Seeing Elian’s face seemed to snap Erik out of his excitement as he untangled himself from the Luminary, brushing the tip of his nose with his hand, as if to try and stave away the embarrassment.

“I’m gonna need to head back to Cobblestone first, I’ll only take a few minutes, just to pick up some spare clothes and stuff.” He explained. Erik looked over to his pack that sat on the ground, realizing where Elian had gotten the sudden brainwave from.

“Oh, yeah, right!” He chuckled, nodding. “Don’t worry, we’ll wait. I think Mia’s trying to find her map in that messy cave she calls a satchel.” That was met with Mia shouting some kind of childish insult at Erik, which devolved into yet another mini standoff. Elian shook his head, smiling a little as he thought of home, casting Zoom.

Mia paused mid insult, staring at the spot where Elian had been stood. “Has he always been able to do that?” She asked incredulously.

Elian landed at the edge of Cobblestone, standing up from his crouched position as he jogged into town. He waved to Gemma as he ran past, not even seeing her reaction as he jogged up the steps to the house, heading inside to quickly pick up all his stuff. The house was just as he’d left it, though there was a delicious smell of slow roasting vegetables, no doubt Amber’s famous soup on the stove. Amber poked her head around the kitchen door, busy making herself some lunch when she caught sight of her son digging through his wardrobe.

“Well, look what the cat dragged in.” She called over, before a smile came to her lips, walking over to him. “What are you doing El?” She asked, curious as to why he’d appeared in furore, about an hour late, frantically picking out clothes.

“Hey mum! Sorry I’m a little late, it’s just I took Erik to Hotto, we got our clothes cleaned and visited the steam baths, and he and Mia invited me to come travel with them for a while.” He explained quickly, avoiding looking over at Amber. He knew that she liked having him around the house, knowing that he was safe. After a moment of her face being coated in concern, a small smile appeared on her face as she nodded, already knowing that this day was going to come eventually.

“Well, you make sure you bring lots of changes of clothes, and enough money to make sure you’re not sleeping in the cold, and you tell Erik and Mia they’re always welcome to come have a nice dinner here anytime.” She said, walking over to the shelf where Elian’s satchel sat, filled already with his savings and his various items from his adventure, handing it over to the Luminary.

Elian managed a small smile, quickly going over to give his mum a hug. “I won’t be gone long mum, I promise. And I’ll be sure to drag them back here for a dinner.” He said, smiling as she laughed, returning the hug.

She took a step back, pointing to the wardrobe. “I mean it Elian, lots of clothes, no son of mine is going to be running around in dirty clothes all day.” She said, smiling as he nodded, heading back to the kitchen to finish off her pan of soup. Elian got back to the task at hand, picking out a spare purple tunic, a few blue tunics, a belt and some comfortable faded green slacks. Alongside his usual clothing, he packed a pair of shorts, for Puerto Valor, a thicker tunic with a fur lined for Sniflheim, and various other outfits that would help him to combat the various climates on Erdrea. He stuffed all the extra clothes into his satchel carefully, well folded, making sure he’d have enough space for anything he decided to buy on his travels.

“Bye mum! I’ll be back before you know it!” he called, heading out the front door, Amber’s farewells chasing at his heels as he cast Zoom, launching himself from Cobblestone.

As he landed outside the front of Hotto, Erik and Mia were waiting for him. Mia had a map in her hands, pointing out the route they would need to take, Erik returning some quip about having travelled the world already, and remembering the route. Mia just rolled her eyes, looking over at Elian as he landed. “Hey, you’re back! He really was only a few minutes; can you teach me how to do that?” The girl asked excitedly, while Erik balked at the idea of Mia having that kind of travelling power.

“I think it’s a Luminary only thing, perks of the job I guess.” Elian admitted, noting that he’d never met another person in Erdrea who could use Zoom, Veronica had only heard tales of the magical spell, and she was definitely more well read on magic than he was.

“Well that sucks. Eh, oh well.” She said, shrugging as she showed Elian the map. A path had been plotted from Hotto down through to Gallopolis, past the city and through to Gondolia. From there, they’d have to get passage over to the shores near Puerto Valor. 

“Apparently ships from Gondolia cross the water every hour, sea monsters are way less common now so making your way isn’t nearly as annoying now. If only it had been this easy back when we were moving about.” Erik said, grinning a little as he approached the horse hailing post. A simple post in the ground with a shiny bell atop it, something Elian and the party had used extensively during their travels to ensure they could move from town to town at a decent pace. Erik rang the bell twice, a pair of horses eventually arriving at the gates of Hotto. Elian had no idea where these horses came from, or how they could distinguish one bell for another, but he thought better of looking a gift horse in the mouth, literally.

“That’s good, it’s one less thing people have to worry about.” Elian chimed in as he climbed up onto the horse’s back, stroking the back of its head. Erik saddled up on the second horse, helping Mia up onto the steed behind him, nodding to Elian.

“We’re ready when you are partner.” Erik called over, to which Elian nodded, whipping the reins down on the horse as they took off from Hotto. Instead of stopping in Gallopolis after the half an hour of horse riding, they continued past, pushing through the Laguna di Gondolia, all the way to the city itself. It was incredible to be able to travel from Hotto to Gondolia with no real altercations. A few slimes here or there, but overall, the trip was refreshing and invigorating, to be able to enjoy the beautiful changing landscape, of pristine sands, verdant greenery, and the rumble of rivers. Their wasn’t much said between the party as they travelled on horseback, a few passing comments called to one another until they arrived outside of Gondolia.

Once they’d dismounted and made their way down the long corridor that separated Gondolia from the Laguna, Mia turned to them. “I’ll go see about that boat, you two can make sure we’ve got enough cash to get on it.” She said, scampering off through town without another word, heading towards the far end of the city to enquire about their passage over to Puerto Valor.

“Fancy a walk? My legs feel like jelly after that ride.” Erik said, laughing a little sheepishly. Elian remembered that Erik wasn’t the most avid horse rider, and never tended to be the one to control a horse when the party set off. Elian smiled, nodding affirmatively as he motioned towards the eastern side of the city, it was the more residential part of Gondolia, and seemed much nicer to stroll through.

“Sounds good to me. I’m surprised after all these months you’re still not used to horse riding.” Elian pointed out, taking a right from their spot at the gate, walking up the short flight of stairs, onto the cobbled path that lead down towards the end of Gondolia.

“It’s the worst! I feel like someone’s been beating my thighs with a mallet.” He huffed, leading Elian to laugh at the bizarre mental image, immediately imagining one of the small hammerhoods that usually haunt the hills around Heliodor, harmlessly smacking Erik’s legs to no avail.

“Your form is all wrong! You act like it’s a wagon and not an actual animal, you can’t just sit and hope that the spine of a huge animal isn’t gonna mess you up.” Elian pointed out, a bit of his accent eking out when he spoke, causing Erik to snicker. Elian smacked his arm gently, huffing.

During their adventures, Elian was one of very few words, for a variety of reasons. Back home, most people understood that he wasn’t much of a talker, something that developed as he grew up, he was more prone to inward thinking and when he did talk, it was often little snippets here or there. After the business in Heliodor and discovering that he wasn’t just like every other adventurer, and that he was expected to save the world, he spoke up less and less. How could he know what to say to assure people that things were going to be okay when he couldn’t even tell himself that. His companions came to understand that, and they supported him through his concerns, and rejoiced as he steadily began to open up, to talk more freely in their company.

With the weight of the world off his shoulders, Elian began to speak more in general, though his accent had diminished some. Travelling the land had a profound effect on his voice, he found himself sounding less like someone from Cobblestone, and more of a neutral accent, lacking the uniqueness of his village’s dialect. All in all, he sounded more like a Heliodorian with a peculiar twang occasionally, the twang that Erik delighted in teasing. 

“Sorry pumpkin, didn’t mean to tease.” Erik drawled, avoiding a second swipe from Elian as he put on an accent more befitting of a person from Cobblestone than Sniflheim.

“Next time Veronica’s here, I’m telling her how horrible you are to me.” Elian’s words were laced with amusement as he crossed his arms over his chest, walking down the nicely lit path with Erik at his side.

“You wouldn’t dare! Getting hit by Veronica’s staff is a fate worse than death.” Erik exclaimed, before laughing along with Elian. They made it to the very edge of Gondolia, peering out over the stone railings that looked out on the water. Elian rested his elbows against the uncomfortable stone, leaning his body down against it. He could feel Erik’s gaze on him again, like a blanket. Before he turned to look at Erik, the rogue settled on the railing to his right, taking a similar position.

“You okay? You look a little out of it.” Elian spoke softly, eyes studying Erik’s face. The rogue looked lost in thought, brow knitted together. He seemed to be trying to find something to say, going by the fact that he would open his mouth then shut it again. Elian gave him a moment, looking back on the sea again.

“I’m glad you’re coming with us El.” Erik didn’t often use that nickname, he preferred to call him partner. When they first started travelling together, he thought it was a way to keep Erik detached, not using his name, just a title. As he got to know the rogue, he realized the fondness behind the name. “Me and Mia have been doing good on our own, sure, but I…” He paused, swallowing down a lump in his throat, eyes focused on the gentle sway of the water beneath them. He looked like he’d prefer to toss himself in, rather than finish his sentence. “I’ve missed you. Helping the Luminary was what I was destined to do, is it weird that I almost miss that? Having the world in danger just so I had a purpose.” Erik grew quiet as his uninterrupted thoughts subsided.

Elian hadn’t expected Erik to get so deep so suddenly, frankly he was quietly terrified that Erik had remembered their kiss, blissfully unaware that the rogue had never forgot. He realized than that his words were truer than Elian had dared to think, and he saw some of that reflected in himself. The fight was over, and he was glad that everyone was safe, but deep down, a part of him actually missed the excitement, the life he led with his friends at his side. Who knew that the best part of being a hero was the difficult part? Peace was the goal, but it left a hero without much else to do.

“I understand.” Elian managed to say after processing Erik’s words. “I’m happy that we’re not in constant danger anymore, but I miss having something I can do other than help fix up buildings or herd cattle.” He said, eliciting a quiet chuckle of agreement from Erik. The rogue seemed to feel a bit better, getting that off his chest.

“Glad I’m not the only one.” Erik mumbled quietly, resting his chin in his hands. Elian couldn’t really think of anything he could say to make Erik feel better, so he just decided to be pragmatic.

“You have a purpose now, Erik. You have to live, enjoy your life and make sure you keep Mia safe. I may not rely on you anymore, but you still mean a lot to me, and I miss you too, when you’re not around, you’re my best friend after all.” He couldn’t tell if his little pep talk was working, he really wasn’t the type to try and attempt a rousing speech. “I’m glad I’m coming with you; it at least feels like the old days.” He said, looking over to Erik. The rogue had a silent smile on his face, nodding a little.

“You’re right partner. And I’m glad you’re here too.” He said, reaching over to pat his shoulder, before giving it an affirmative squeeze. A silence fell for mere moments before Mia’s voice cut through.

“Hey! Ships leaving in a few minutes, come on!” She was stood at what Elian assumed was the Gondolia equivalent of a town square, considering it was a circle. She was hopping up and down, waving her arms in a frantic attempt to draw their attention. The fact that the girl could project her voice from all the way down there was impressive, to say the least.

“We’ll be right down!” Elian called over, moving away from Erik’s grip, failing to notice the rogue’s hand linger. He moved over to the steps, gesturing for Erik to follow. “Time to go Erik, we’ve got adventures to have!” Elian offered up a beaming smile over his shoulder, which seemed to drag Erik out of his thoughts. Elian jogged off down the steps as Erik managed his own smile, though it was still tinged with sadness.

“Yeah, friend.” His words weren’t loud enough to attract Elian’s attention as he began to follow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time for Erik and Elian to see the world again, this time with Mia calling them stupid for not realizing they like each other. Thanks for continuing to read this and leaving kudos! It means a lot :)


	5. Rest and Relaxation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one was a little bit longer than the rest but I doubt that's much of an issue, thanks all for reading! c:

There was a heavy knock on the door, but Elian didn’t rouse, instead rolling onto his side, facing away from the door, groaning a little. The sun was out, he could tell based on how light it was behind his eyelids. He could hear movement on the other side of the room, the padding of feet on stone floors, and the creak of a door opening.

“Hey, I’m heading down to the beach, just in case you’re looking for me.” Mia’s voice was chipper as ever, and Elian truly couldn’t understand how, it was so early.

“Mia, it’s like nine in the morning.” Elian smiled as Erik’s exasperated words matched his own thoughts.

“Yeah, and it’s already boiling! If I want a tan, gotta get it early so I can enjoy the rest of what this place has to offer, duh.” The eye roll from Erik was near audible as he nodded, going onto a spiel about being careful, not going with strangers and not leaving valuables just laying around. Mia agreed, constantly interrupting the rogue as she started retreating down the corridor, before scarpering off. The door creaked back closed, feet yet again padding on the floor, before he heard the creak of the bed across from him. He cracked an eye open, catching sight of Erik, clad in his blue boxers, flopping back into the bed. Erik seemed to catch his eye too, an apologetic smile on his face.

“Sorry partner, now you know what I’ve had to deal with for the past few months.” Erik said, getting comfortable under his thin covers before his head lay down on the pillow, facing Elian now. Elian let out an amused chuckle, yawning a little as he rolled onto his back, looking up at the ceiling.

“Well, it’s less awful to wake up early when I’ve not got a horrible hangover.” Elian murmured, smiling a little. After the ship ride from Gondolia to Puerto Valor, the trio of adventurers had secured rooms at the inn, being given the last two available rooms, a single and a double room. Elian had assumed that he’d be having the single room before Mia piped up, demanding that she get a room to herself. Months of travelling with Erik must have taken its toll, he assumed. On the trip over, Erik had brewed up some of the medicinal herbs into a tea. It was hardly the nicest tea he’d ever had, it was bitter and vaguely spicy, but it helped to clear his head and remove that feeling of wanting to throw up.

“Can’t disagree there, helps that this inn is pretty swanky.” Erik said, propping himself up on his elbows, looking over at Elian. “What do you wanna do? We can’t hit up the casino without Mia, we’ll probably head there after dinner or something.” Erik spoke, pushing up so he was sitting, rubbing at his eyes. Elian dared to peek over, feeling his cheeks go pink. He couldn’t look at Erik without his mind drifting back to the baths.

This was all Gemma’s fault.

“I guess we could visit the beach. We visited Puerto Valor a lot and we never really got a chance to enjoy the beach.” Erik seemed to weigh up the idea of visiting the beach. Elian imagined that he was really weighing up whether or not he wanted to have Mia asking him for things if they ran into each other. He eventually relented and nodded his agreement.

“Yeah, sounds like a plan partner. I picked up some beachwear in Gallopolis since I knew we were going to be in Puerto Valor eventually.” He explained, climbing up out of his bed.

Elian let out a grumpy grunt as he rolled off the side of the bed, landing on his feet with some semblance of grace, straightening up. He put his hands on his lower back, stretching with a satisfied groan. The beds in Puerto Valor certainly were comfortable, and he really struggled to leave it willingly, but the life of adventure called. And by adventure, he meant relaxing on the beach for a few hours. Elian glanced over, making sure Erik was looking away. He picked out his bathing shorts, a long blue pair that went down to his knees, quickly changing out of his boxers and into the shorts. He crouched down, digging through his bag for the cream he had picked up, a mixture his mum would always slather him in for summer, it helped to keep him from burning when he was outside all day as a kid. He’d picked up a small bottle of the stuff that his mum always kept around, setting it in one of the many pouches covering the satchel. He finally found the bottle, standing back up.

“Alright, I’m ready to go.” Elian turned to face Erik, catching sight of his outfit for the day. His shorts were aqua blue, much shorter than Elian’s, reaching just above mid-thigh, a loose white shirt with rolled up sleeves and undone buttons covering much of his upper torso. Only the front was in view, a thin, light dusting of blue trailing down from his belly button. Elian focused instead on the rogue’s face, smiling. “Smart, the sun is looking pretty intense out there.” Elian commented as he crossed the room, moving towards the door that led out onto their small balcony. He opened it up, the cool breeze of the sea passing by as he stepped out onto the balcony. He missed Erik’s eyes following him out, boring holes into his back. The soles of his feet were warm from the heat that had been baring down on the balcony for the past few hours.

“I’ve been told that burning is worse than sweating, and after time in Gallopolis, I’d tend to agree.” Erik mentioned, filtering out onto the balcony past Elian, leaning against the edge of the balcony, peering down onto the beach. Elian managed to spot Mia’s hair a mile away, she was down near the wooden decking area on the far side of Puerto Valor, closer to Don Rodrigo’s villa than the inn. He had no doubt that Erik had seen her too, as he seemed to relax.

“Yeah, it definitely is. I remember when I was a kid, I ran off before my mum could get this on me.” He said, holding up the small bottle of cream. From what he knew, it was mixed with some various medicinal items and oils that helped to block out the harsh rays of the sun. “I could barely sleep; I was as red as a tomato.” He said as they shared a laugh. Erik had been acting a little off during their trip to Puerto Valor, so seeing Erik’s smile made Elian feel much better. The rogue always went on about the Luminary’s radiance, about how they could practically feel the light rolling off of him, but Elian never quite knew what he meant. Seeing Erik grin, eyes closed as he tried to supress his amused laughter, it made him begin to realize what he was talking about.

“Think we should head down? I brought some towels; we can go try not to burn for a little while.” He said, standing up from his leant over spot.

“Alright, how about I head down to the beach and find us a nice spot and you can catch up?” Elian offered, heading back into their inn room. Erik nodded, voicing his agreement as Elian left the room. Just standing in the sunlight always made him feel like he was burning, getting to wander around alleviated some of the feeling.

Once he was out of the inn, he jogged down the steps onto the sand, looking around. The beach wasn’t quite full, most of the people enjoying the end of summer were gathered around on the other side of the beach. Elian had worried he was going to feel too on show in this kind of outfit, but after travelling and growing stronger, both in combat, and in his body, he didn’t have much to feel self-conscious about. He walked over to the water’s edge, putting his hand up to his brow, blocking the sun from his eyes as he peered out on the ocean.

For a mere moment, the sky seemed to darken, the breeze seemed to slow, the bustle of the beach seemed to quiet, and in the farthest reaches of his vision, he could’ve sworn he saw something in the water, so far out that it was touching the horizon.

“Hey partner!” Elian blinked, Erik’s voice pulling him out of whatever he was witnessing. The sunlight renewed its assault on Elian, the cool breeze helping to combat some of the heat, and he could hear the vague conversations drifting up the beach. He turned to Erik; face knitted together in confusion. “You doing alright?” Concern was clear on the rogue’s face as he trotted down, a pair of towels under one arm, a small box and a book under the other.

He really didn’t know if he was okay. The vision, the strange kind of gloom that descended on him, it felt reminiscent of the aura that Mordegon or even Calasmos possessed. But it had been nearly a year since they had both been vanquished, and ever since, the powers of darkness had been severely diminished. He managed a smile, nodding over to Erik as he walked over from his place at the shore. “Uh, yeah, I’m fine.” Elian said, managing a sincere smile as he stopped in front of Erik. The rogue set the small box down on top of the book, before laying out both towels for them. “Light reading?” Elian joked quizzically as he took his seat. The book looked fairly big, bound in a solid, plain red backing.

“Heh, yeah it’s a novel, been interesting to read.” He said, picking it back up, wiping the sand from the bottom of it. “It’s a fantasy, all about heroes going on adventures.” He admitted, a pink hue on his cheeks. Elian could only imagine that being able to read through adventures similar to their own must have been cathartic, even amusing to try and find some similarities. “I’m a bit of a slow reader, I’ve had this for ages, but it’s good to read before bed. I get to imagine I’m still out adventuring with everyone.”

Elian felt a touch of sorrow, knowing that Erik was living vicariously through the tales of adventure of other people. He knew that the rogue missed their lives together, and Elian did too, but Erik seemed born to traverse the world. He may not be the hardened criminal he used to be, but he knew that Erik would jump at the chance to try some daring heist again. “It sounds good, I might have to borrow it when you’re done.” Elian hummed, smiling as he took some of the cream in his hands, starting to rub it on his arms. He held the bottle out to Erik. “Here, put some on, it really does work.” The cream had already suffused into his skin by the time he’d offered it to Erik. Not only was it perfect for protecting the skin from the sun, it helped to moisturise the skin and make it feel a little softer. Erik accepted readily, setting the book in his lap to gather some with his fingers, putting a little on his cheeks before spreading the rest on his arms and legs.

“Thanks partner, this stuff seems like a miracle.” He said, rubbing his hands together until the cream sunk into his skin, lifting up his book again.

“It’s apparently really popular in places like this, mum started making her own with local plants and stuff like that.” Elian explained, getting some more on his hands to coat his legs. He reached back to try and rub some on his back, only succeeding in looking a bit foolish, as if he were trying to slap something off his back.

“Need some help there?” Erik’s voice was filled with barely disguised amusement as he set his book back down. He put his hands down on the towel, lifting his hips to rotate his body so he was facing Elian.

“Okay, okay, fine.” Elian grumbled, handing over the bottle. There was a fair amount of the cream left in case they visited Gallopolis or any of the other extremely hot climates on Erdrea. Elian copied Erik’s movements, reorienting himself so he was facing down the beach, Erik behind him.

“Arch your back a little.” Erik instructed, which Elian did. He felt the cool cream press into his skin before Erik’s hands followed, massaging it into his back. He couldn’t help but blush at the feeling of Erik’s hands on his body, even if it was something as innocent as this. He could feel the other man’s hands trailing down his back, rubbing into his lower back. He was lost in the thought of Erik’s hands that he barely recognized that Erik spoke. “All done.” Despite those words, Erik’s hands lingered for a moment, hands almost slid to his hips, before he pulled away.

“Thanks.” Elian cleared his throat, moving back to face the ocean, Erik doing the same. Erik lay down on the towel, rolling onto his side to face Elian, propping himself up on one elbow, the book laid down next to him so he could read. Elian quickly rubbed some of the cream into his chest before laying back down on the towel, resting his hands behind his head.

Just like that, hours managed to pass. They would pass conversation between themselves occasionally, and change position onto their fronts to let the heat of the sun cover their backs. Elian steadily managed to forget about his strange vision, enjoying his time with Erik instead. Mia had shown up after a while, thankfully not burnt, explaining that she’d found some shade and made some new friends. Elian couldn’t help but think Mia might have been the second choice for the Luminary, able to make friends wherever she went. Erik made her use some of the sunscreen anyway, only adding a little to her arms and legs, her outfit covering most of her torso, and a sash that doubled as a skirt only exposing her midriff, covering her thighs with thin material. They were both residents of Sniflheim, he didn’t find it that surprising that they wanted to hide from the sun.

The mystery box that Erik had taken down with him turned out to be full of various little snacks, dried meats and rolls of bread, and a few sweeter options, baked treats glazed with icing. Mia had picked up some provisions in Hotto, sharing them out between herself and Erik, unaware that Elian was going to be joining them. The Luminary assured her that it was fine, and that he would pick up his own food when they got to Puerto Valor. Halfway through their day of relaxation, they snacked on the contents of the box, having themselves a pseudo-picnic on the beach.

“… So then, after complaining for about three whole days, we finally went to Angri-La, which I absolutely blame you for, you mentioned how nice the view from the mountain was.” Erik was retelling some of his travels with Mia, and all of the places they had been. They seemed to avoid the major towns, instead exploring the more open areas of Erdrea.

“You’re used to colder places, what’s the problem?” Elian asked amusedly, standing up from his place on the towel, stretching his arms over his head with a grunt. He’d been laying in mostly the same position for hours, so getting up to stretch was a relief.

“The fact that I had to hike up a damn _mountain_ maybe?” Erik shot back, seeming amused more than anything at their little faux argument.

“You’ve faced worse.” Elian hummed lazily, back to Erik as he approached the water. Like a constant, Erik’s eyes were on his back. He didn’t know exactly what the rogue was looking at, or if he was just following him with his eyes as they spoke, but the attention felt quite nice either way. It wasn’t exactly the attention he wanted from the rogue, but it was close enough.

“You’re so cruel to me El.” Erik had gotten up too and followed along to his side.

“There there, you’ll be fine.” Elian’s eyes were alight with amusement as he nudged his hips against Erik’s before wading into the water.

“See, so cruel!” He called over to him, stripping the comfortable shirt from his torso, tossing it back onto the sand, before wading in after him. It was sweet relief to have the cool water splashing over him. Elian dived forward, submerging himself in the water before rising back up, the waves crashing against his hips, the water curling around him like a familiar embrace. He wiped his hair up out of his face, pushing it back out of his eyes. He turned to Erik, catching his eyes. He smiled over at him.

“Okay, fine. I’m sorry you went through such an ordeal, if we ever head to Mount Pang Lai, I’ll happily carry you up the slopes myself.” There was a hint of teasing in his voice. He was unsure where his newfound confidence came from, maybe it was the fact that he was so exposed, that he didn’t really need to be so embarrassed by his own words. Speaking of his words, Erik seemed at a loss when he heard them. He could’ve sworn that Erik was blushing, but his entire face was a little bit red from the sun.

“Oh please, you’re tough but you’re not that tough. I’d make sure to load up on lovely treasures, really test your hamstrings.” He said, wearing a grin on his face as he dived in after him. They were a fair ways away from the shore, where the sand beneath was deep enough that they could stand upright and have the water surrounding their stomachs, but close enough that they could move back to the dry sands with relative ease.

“Challenge accepted; I think I’ve got the muscles to handle carrying you.” He hummed, flexing jokingly. It wasn’t exactly a lie, his biceps were impressive, while not being overtly muscular like Hendrik. As Erik emerged, he suddenly seemed to realize why he thought Erik might have been blushing. Erik’s hair survived the water a bit better than his own did, still holding some of its height before he pushed it back. Water dripped down his lithe chest in rivulets, pooling down past Erik’s abdomen, trailing down to meet the hem of his shorts. Then there was his bulge.

Abort, abort, abort!

“Partner?”

“I uh…” Elian only just realized that Erik had been talking, likely rising to meet his boasts. He stumbled back, eyes refocusing before his foot caught on a rock underneath the water. He yelped loudly as he flailed backwards, before submerging. It was something of a relief, to be violently pulled away from the most awkward situation he’d ever been in. Well, other than Erik in the baths. Or, now that he thought about it, a few times during their adventures when Erik would do something that made his brain short circuit. He gasped as he hit the water, mouth and nose flooding with saltwater. He thrashed against the water until he felt arms around his chest, pulling him up out of the water. He coughed and spluttered as he managed to get the water out of his mouth, his chest burning in pain from the water he’d inhaled.

“Elian! Talk to me, you doing alright?” He was being cradled in Erik’s arms, most of his body floating in the water, his torso and head being held up out of the water by the rogue. He coughed again; eyes scrunched closed as he caught his breath.

“I’m fine, honestly.” He managed between coughs, wiping his eyes free from the water. He opened them, his light blue eyes clashing with Erik’s darker pair. “Thanks.” He spoke breathlessly. His hand twitched, longing to lift itself out of the water and grasp Erik’s face, pulling him in closer. Instead, he used it to push himself up, steadying himself in the water, relieved to be out of Erik’s grasp. Having the rogue’s hands on his bare skin chipped away at what little self-control he had around the other man.

“You had me worried there for a minute, thought you’d bashed your head in or something.” Erik said, the relief evident on his face. Elian smiled apologetically, shuffling to slightly shallower water, the water pooling around his thighs now, rather than up around his waist.

“Sorry about that, I was just being clumsy.” He spoke assuredly, cheeks a little pink as he scratched the back of his head, half sheepishly, half to make sure that he really hadn’t split his head open. His mind still felt a little cloudy, as if he couldn’t help but think of Erik. By now, the sun had drifted from its position directly above their heads, waning down towards the horizon. It had to be at least three in the afternoon by now.

“Well you’re okay, that’s what matters.” Erik spoke as he followed Elian to shallower water. Elian’s eyes immediately glanced down, catching sight of the rogue’s beachwear, clinging to his form, leaving very little to the imagination. As if he needed to see it, his imagination was constantly working on overdrive since the baths. Thankfully, Erik didn’t notice his perverted gaze, and he quickly managed to focus himself.

“Yeah, it’d be a pretty embarrassing end to the saviour of the world, huh?” He joked, wading his way out of the water, approaching their towels to dry off. He heard Erik’s laughter at the idea as he followed. “Y’know, all this sun has kinda just exhausted me. You think I could go take a nap?” Elian asked, seeing Erik’s amused grin.

“Can’t believe the Luminary of legend has gotten so lazy.” Erik’s trademark teasing replaced his concern, but he nodded either way. “I’ll go get Mia and do some shopping, I’ll pick you up some supplies too, you can pay me back when you’re up.” Erik said, to which Elian nodded, unable to argue with the comment on his laziness. Eight months of blissful comfort in Cobblestone really did a number on his ability to stay awake. After discussing plans for a moment or two, Elian slung his towel over his shoulders and made his way back to the hotel. He washed off his feet at a small water pump by the stairs to the sand, drying himself off with the towel.

It didn’t take him long to get back to hotel room, and once he’d shimmied himself out of his wet shorts, hanging them up to dry, he tugged on a pair of pyjama bottoms, flopping onto the bed. His body was warm, his eyelids heavy as he wrapped his arms around the pillow beneath him. It was seconds before sleep claimed him.

_When he opened his eyes, he was on the beach again. It was dark now, but not that same dark from his vision. The moon shone down on him like a beacon, the gentle sway of the waves being the only thing he could hear. Then pressure, settling on his lap. He tore his gaze away from the moon, seeing a shock of cyan. Blue eyes met his own, filled with a look he couldn’t quite discern._

_“Erik?” His voice was replaced with a shocked gasp as he felt Erik push himself down against him, the wet bulge of his shorts rubbing against his pyjama bottoms, against the bulge he had growing between his legs._

_“Shh, there’s no need to speak.” Then they were kissing, Erik’s damp hands against his chest, his hips steadily rocking down against him. The pressure felt phenomenal, just the feeling of Erik’s weight against him. Elian started to react, his hands drifting up to hook around the man’s waist, his lips responding to Erik’s in kind, his tongue pressing against Erik’s lips, demanding entrance. The moan that Erik let out was intoxicating, more so than any mead he’d sampled in Heliodor. He wanted to hear it again, no he_ needed _to hear it again. He pushed Erik back, not strongly enough to be seen as rejection._

_“Get on your hands and knees.” Erik’s reaction was one of shock, to hear the Luminary instruct him like that. Erik was quick to do as he was told, resting on his elbows, arching his back, looking over his shoulder at Elian. Lust. That was the look in his eyes._

_Elian shuffled over eagerly, up on his knees as he pressed up against the rogue, the bulge in his pyjamas brushing up against one of Erik’s cheeks. His hands descended, wrapping themselves around his waist, admiring the way Erik’s lithe build seemed to shrink under his grasp. He moved his hands a little further down, grasping at the rogue’s round cheeks, kneading at the soft flesh hidden underneath his shorts. His cock throbbed, straining to be released from the prison his pyjamas had made, rubbing up between his best friend’s cheeks._

_“Elian…” Erik’s voice was sweet like honey, and as sultry as anything he’d ever heard before._

“Elian?” Elian jerked up from his place in the bed. He’d somehow managed to tangle himself up in the sheets, covering up his indecency. He looked over to find Erik stood by the door to the balcony, tying the red sash around his waist, setting his dagger belt down on the small desk by the window. “You were groaning in your sleep, you sounded like you were in pain. Is everything okay?”

He was actually going to be reincarnated into a slime in his next life, that’s how far he had fallen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some steamy times! And so much gay stupidity that it hurts. Trust me, we gays really are this clueless when it comes to love. And a little hint at what the story is going to evolve into when Elian got to the beach! Hope you guys enjoyed, kudos and comments are always welcome!


	6. Go Big or Go Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another lengthy chapter today! Hope everyone enjoys c:

“It was a nightmare.” Elian said. It was the opposite. “It was nothing.” Elian assured. It was the opposite.

“A nightmare?” Erik’s face twisted to one of concern, and the guilt welled up in Elian’s gut. “What happened? Are you alright?” It would have been so simple to just tell the truth, but the idea of admitting to Erik that he couldn’t stop thinking about him, especially in _that_ capacity made his throat dry out. Elian had been embarrassed before, even embarrassed by Erik, but something like that might just kill him dead.

“Yeah, I think so.” He kept it vague, not willing to lie even further. Truthfully, if he did have a nightmare, after what he saw earlier today, he probably wouldn’t be okay. Erik approached the bed, sitting down on the edge. Elian moved to sit up, but kept the covers loose around his waist, doing his best not to look at Erik. After such a dream, he was dealing with a very obvious problem, and to have the object of his affection, and the focus of such a lewd dream, sat right in front of him, it made his skin feel hot and clammy.

“Well? Go ahead, tell me about it, sometimes talking it out can help.” Erik said, a sincere smile on his face. By Yggdrasil, that smile hurt his soul. The sun had reached the horizon by now, showing he’d definitely been asleep for a fair while, and their room was bathed in a burnt orange hue. It clashed with Erik’s vibrant hair, his pale skin taking on the beautiful shine. He swore that the sunset paled when Erik looked at him, as if the light that covered all of Erdrea wasn’t good enough to illuminate the rogue. The Luminary tended to agree.

“Um, well…” He started, eyes struggling to look anywhere but the plain beige sheets of the inn’s comfortable bedding, but he finally managed, looking up at Erik. “At the beach, when I first got there, I went to go look at the water, and… Well, for a moment, I could have sworn I saw something. Everything seemed to grow a little darker when I looked at it, it was as if time seemed to slow down.” This wasn’t technically a lie; it just wasn’t the reason for his restless sleep. Telling someone was likely for the best, secrets were more difficult in his opinion. Keeping his attraction to Erik secret was difficult, keeping the secret of his origins from the timeline where Veronica lost her life was even more so. He had mulled the idea over in his head, to tell them, but for now, he couldn’t bring himself to explain it, at least not yet anyway.

“And the nightmare, it was about this thing you saw?” Erik asked, listening attentively to Elian’s words.

“Yeah, I think so, it’s hard to picture now that I’ve woken up.” That was a lie on two fronts, he hadn’t even seen the creature he thought he saw. And as for remembering, all he could think about was Erik, clad in those criminally short shorts, soaked through and leaving nothing to the imagination. Erik’s perky behind, trapped under wet shorts, cupped perfectly by the sodden material, round and so damn _inviting_. He throbbed.

“This darkness you mentioned, did it feel similar to Mordegon? Or Calasmos?” The mention of Mordegon certainly helped to soften up his erection, so he focused on that, filling his mind with memories of their battles with the chalk skinned sorcerer and the cosmic horror, Calasmos. Slowly, sense started to return to him.

“Um… More similar to Calasmos, for sure, but even then, it was so different. Calasmos felt like some sort of pressure, unbearable darkness that could smother you.” He said, and Erik nodded to show his agreement, knowing exactly what that felt like. “This thing, I’m not sure what it was, but it felt different. It wasn’t pressure, it just felt empty, like I was drowning in its presence.” Elian paused, seeming to have calmed down, both in his fake panic over his nightmare, and his very real issue in his pyjama pants.

“I’m sorry you had to go through that Elian.” Erik reached over, grasping one of Elian’s hands, pulling it over to him. He squeezed it with both hands, eyes doing their best to meet Elian’s as the Luminary tried not to stare. “I can always sleep with ya.” Erik said, casual as ever as Elian’s cheeks burned. He was about to let out an indignant huff of embarrassment, when the rogue continued. “Mia used to have horrible nightmares when she was a kid, so I’d sleep in her bed, it made her feel safer.” Erik explained. Guilt, yet again, pooled in his gut. It was becoming more and more obvious to himself that he wasn’t just hopelessly infatuated with Erik, but he was so damn pent up that Erik’s kind offer just came off as flirting. Living in a small town with your mum didn’t give you a lot of options for relieving yourself, it turned out.

“I appreciate the offer, but I should be fine.” He assured, a sheepish smile on his lips. He reached out with the hand that Erik didn’t have in a vice grip, covering Erik’s clasped hands. “I mean it, thank you.” Elian, for the first time in this awkward conversation, managed a proper smile. Even if he was ridiculously pent up at the thought of Erik, Erik’s kind-hearted words shone through, and it warmed his heart.

“It’s fine partner, there’s no need to thank me.” He was almost sad to feel Erik’s hands release his own, watching the rogue stand up. “Well, I’m ready to head down to the casino, but I think you could do with getting dressed.” He said, nodding down at Elian’s chest, an amused smile on his face. Elian rolled his eyes, chuckling a little.

“Really? I thought I’d give this style a go. It’s my ‘I want to get arrested for public indecency’ look. Mind if I borrow your shorts?” Elian joked, a grin growing on his lips as Erik laughed at that, a fake look of shock on his face.

“Hey! They’re not _that_ short, not my fault you’re trying to cover all that up with your choice of swimwear.” Erik countered, causing Elian to share in his laughter.

“My swimwear is regular length. You were a strip of fabric away from jail time!” Elian shot back, until they both descended into laughter. One of Erdrea’s best thieves, back in prison over indecent swimwear was possibly one of the funniest ideas Elian had ever heard, and Erik seemed to share that view.

“Alright alright, I’m off to get Mia and head down to the casino before you bully me any further.” Erik said, flipping Elian off as he retreated backwards towards their door. Elian, barely concealing his amusement, returned the gesture.

“Don’t be so easy to bully then.” He hummed, climbing out of the bed. “I won’t be long, promise.” He didn’t feel as self-conscious letting Erik see him like this now that his issue had calmed down, but there was still something intimate about feeling Erik’s eyes on him like this. His pyjama bottoms rode low on his hips, the well-defined muscles he’d gained over the course of their adventure on show above his green and blue tartan bottoms. He’d softened, thankfully, but that didn’t diminish the noticeable bulge in his pants, since he hadn’t actually adjusted himself yet. He turned his back on Erik and walked across the room to grab his satchel. As he moved across the room, he heard the door click closed. Knowing it had taken Erik that long to actually leave the room filled his mind with ideas, that Erik couldn’t tear his eyes away. He wasn’t naïve enough to think that he was unattractive, but he always chalked that up to both being strong and being the Luminary. Truth be told, he always thought he looked a little plain. He just couldn’t imagine Erik having any interest in him further than friendship.

Once Erik was gone, he shimmied out of his pyjamas, approaching the mirror that lay against the wall. He inspected himself, hand lazily rubbing against his abdomen. His abs weren’t nearly as pronounced as Hendrik’s, though with a bit more training, he supposed he could get there, though probably not reach Hendrik’s pure brawn. His chest was in a similar state, his pecs weren’t like Hendrik’s, but were certainly impressive enough, worth grabbing at least. His cheeks burned at his own thoughts.

Was he really grading himself? He guessed so.

Elian’s legs were long, thick thighs that came from long walks across Erdrea, something that hadn’t diminished in his rest at Cobblestone. The weight laying between his legs was, in his opinion, more than serviceable, and based on what he’d seen of Erik’s his flaccid cock was a little bigger than the rogue’s. That being said, he wasn’t really a stickler for size when it came to what he found attractive. Erik’s certainly didn’t disappoint, that was for sure. He turned his back to the mirror, looking back at his reflection. His shoulders were broad enough, not quite to the point that he could pass as a barbarian or a huge knight, and his back was strong. His gaze drifted down as one hand reached back, cupping one of his cheeks. A benefit of training his legs with walking, climbing and just about everything else he had to do on his adventures, a perky and well-rounded backside. Admiring himself led to memories of Erik, or rather, dreams of Erik, and the sights he saw. He longed to know if the rogue’s plush arse would look the same as it did in his dreams. He doubted it could get any better frankly.

He finally stopped his attempt at self-congratulating himself on his looks. Sometimes it was just necessary to look at yourself in a mirror and say, ‘You know what, fuck it, I am a catch.’ He got dressed in the spare purple tunic he’d packed, the lavender scented set of clothing that he’d worn from Hotto to Puerto Valor was luckily not as mucky as he’d expected it to get, so he folded and stored it carefully, glad that it was one less thing to wash. Once he was dressed, he picked up the key to their room, pocketing it alongside his pouch of gold coins, intending to enjoy his evening and gamble the night away with Erik and Mia. Once the room was locked, he met up with the pair in the inn’s foyer, and with that, they made their way out into Puerto Valor. It wasn’t quite as warm as it had been earlier, and the sun was even lower on the horizon, the evening gloom covering the seaside town.

Mia, despite spending more time on the beach, looked seemingly fine, not sunburnt at all, proving that she really had found some shade to relax in with some locals she’d managed to become friends with. They chatted amongst themselves until they reached the front of the casino, in which Mia waved to a small group of teenagers from Puerto Valor. “Alright old timers, I’m gonna spend some time with my new friends, then I’ll come find you guys for dinner? We said late dinner, right?” She asked, stuffing her hands in her pockets, the tell-tale jingle of coins as she jogged off.

“Old timers?! Hey, ugh… Fine, be careful! And yeah, meet us in a couple of hours for dinner!” He called after her, sighing. “Are you feeling a sense of déjà vu?” Erik asked, deadpan as he watched his sister run off.

“I’m only nineteen.” Elian pouted, watching the younger girl run off.

“Almost twenty, you’ll be a withered old corpse like me soon enough.” Erik hummed, nudging Elian’s side with his elbow, chuckling as they made their way inside. Elian rolled his eyes, smiling a little as he followed behind the rogue.

“Apparently so.” Elian said, huffing a little. So much for getting to know Mia a bit better. In the younger girl’s defence, he didn’t really blame her for wanting friends her own age, plus she’d been stuck with Erik for the past year.

The casino doors opened up as they approached, leading onto a balcony of sorts, looking down onto the casino floor, stairs flanking down to the left and right, leading down into the well-lit, ritzy casino. There was a subtle din of noise, keeping the casino feeling lively as people enjoyed the tables and various slot games. Young women dressed in the casino’s outfit of pink and black chequered dressed traversed the floor carrying trays of fruity looking cocktails, offering encouraging smiles and niceties to the patrons, while their male counterparts, dressed in smart black slacks, white shirts and comfortable looking waistcoats stood by, chatting with the various passer-by’s, adding to the murmur of activity. Elian could spot Mia with her friends, playing the slot machines, seeming to be having the time of her life, going by the look of delight on her face.

“I’m guessing you already bought some tokens?” Elian asked, turning to Erik. Erik was busy gazing out on the casino, only just realizing he’d been spoken to.

“Oh, uh, yeah I popped in after the beach to grab some for Mia, I knew she’d burn through them fast.” Erik explained with a soft chuckle, nodding down towards the slot machines Mia was currently fleecing with what Elian assumed must be beginner’s luck. Either that, or she was just a natural born gambler. If their skills with getting treasure was a family thing, he was starting to lean towards the latter.

“How about I grab some and meet you down there? You can pick a game for us to play.” He said with a smile, which Erik returned as he jogged his way down the steps, heading straight to the poker table. Elian went over to one of the kind women working at the token exchange desk, buying himself a generous amount of the small tokens to bet with. Elian made his way down to the casino floor, catching up with Erik. He’d found himself a seat at a poker table with a portly man, a priest going by his outfit, and a woman in a dancer’s frock, all sat around a circular table. Elian took his seat across from Erik, and once he did, the dealer approached the table, giving his greeting and getting the game started. The table was one hundred token poker, showing just how flashy Erik liked to be.

The dealer handed out their cards once the group had placed their bets, all starting modest with five hundred tokens.

“I won’t go easy on ya partner.” Erik hummed as he gathered up his cards from the dealer, grinning as he looked them over.

“I wouldn’t expect you to.” Elian chuckled as he spoke, thanking the dealer for his hand. One of the various casino workers passed the table, offering them all a drink. Despite his stomach lurching at the idea of any more mead, he accepted the cocktail, smiling appreciatively. He took a sip, tastes of various fruits managing to mask the taste of alcohol quite well. He looked down at his hand, grimacing a little, though he did it subtly enough that he hoped that the group hadn’t noticed.

“I fold.” The priest announced sadly, setting down his hand of fairly useless cards, sighing.

“I’m in.” The woman said, waiting for the pair to decide.

Erik handed back one of his cards, accepting the replacement the dealer gave out before nodding. “I’m in too.”

Elian stared hard it his cards, before giving a timid nod. “I think I’ll give it a try.”

The dancer laid out her hand, a well gained straight. She smiled confidently until Erik laid out his hand, a four of a kind, which he beamed proudly at achieving.

“Sorry lady, not today.” Erik hummed, taking a sip of his drink. She sighed and pushed her tokens to the centre of the table, congratulating him.

“How about this?” Elian asked, laying out a straight flush, offering up a coy grin as Erik’s jaw slackened, staring at his partner. The dealer gestured to Elian, announcing him as the winner as he gathered up the stack of two thousand tokens, smiling widely.

“How exactly are you a poker master?” Erik asked, gazing over at Elian, still too surprised that he’d been beaten.

“That was luck, I can assure you. Rab taught me to play and I was awful, I just know the rules.” Elian said with a soft laugh. Erik couldn’t help but laugh too, shaking his head as he took a sip of his drink.

“Well, I guess I really can’t go easy on you now.” Erik hummed, as they got started on their next game. They managed about an hour or two of poker, Erik and Elian tending to be the ones to beat. They finally walked away when Mia arrived at the table, asking if they were ready to go for dinner. Erik had gathered the most tokens, leaving with near double what he started with, while Elian only had a couple of hundred more. They all traded their tokens in for various prizes and cash, Mia leaving with a nice new skirt emblazoned with sapphires along the hem, and a short blade, reminiscent of Erik’s. Elian picked up a few crafting tomes and a new shield that looked nice, while Erik picked up a Metal Slime Sword and one of the snazzy vests on offer, pointing out that if it didn’t suit him, Sylvando was sure to have a birthday soon enough.

They left the casino in high spirits, joking amongst themselves as Mia spoke fervently about her winnings and her new friends. Erik and Elian listened and spoke with her happily, and at that moment, it felt like Elian was back on the road again, enjoying the company of his friends. After a delicious dinner at the inn, the small group split apart once more, with Mia returning out into the evening to meet with her friends.

“So, any plans for the rest of the night?” Erik asked casually as they made their way up the stairs to the room they shared, intent on storing away all their prizes from the night at the casino.

“Honestly? I’m kinda exhausted, and we haven’t even done anything that intensive today.” Elian admitted, cheeks a little bit pink. It was strange, he could travel the length and breadth of Erdrea and battle monsters along the way just a year ago with no complaints, but now? A relaxing day on the beach, a raunchy dream and time playing poker stripped him of any energy he might have had. Yggdrasil forbid, if Puerto Valor was beset by bandits or monsters, Elian really would contemplate sleeping through it.

“Heh, Cobblestone’s softened you up too much big guy.” Erik prodded at his side which was, admittedly, not as lean as he used to be. Elian squeaked at the intrusive poke and slapped his hand away, fishing in his pocket to grab the key.

“There isn’t exactly much to do over there other than help out around the town. I haven’t let myself go _that_ much.” Elian defended himself, knowing that even with his more relaxed lifestyle after helping to save Erdrea, he was still in enough shape to handle himself in a fight.

“Well that’s true, I remember the baths.” Erik hummed, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively as Elian opened up the door.

“You are such a pervert.” Elian huffed, while his own inner monologue chimed in with ‘hypocrite’ among other things. He also thought on the fact that Erik brought up the baths. Was the thief thinking about it as much as Elian was? Elian set the key on the dresser, shuffling over to pull the balcony door shut, glad that the room was nice and cool.

“Pfft, I would be offended, o’ Luminary of legends, but I saw exactly where your eyes were pointing when I walked in.” Erik’s voice was dripping with amusement as he spoke about the scenario. Elian could have almost called it sleazy, if he didn’t know Erik so well. “You think Yggdrasil is going to tell you off for having your eyes magnetize to my big ol’-“

“Erik, shut up.” Elian deadpanned, interrupting the rogue mid-tease, though couldn’t help but smile when he saw Erik’s face, struggling not to laugh at his own joking.

“Aw fine, I shouldn’t make you blush so much.” Erik hummed, a cheeky grin on his face as he moved over to his pack, crouching down to place the neatly folded vest in on top of his supplies, setting the sheathed Metal Slime sword in the corner next to Elian’s sheath.

“I wasn’t blushing.” Elian huffed, though the burning feeling on his cheeks told him he was lying.

“Whatever you say partner.” Erik flopped onto the bed on his stomach, legs dangling off the side as he gazed up at the Luminary. “For what it’s worth, it was pretty flattering to have you look at me so much.” There was an odd level of sincerity to his voice, and Elian found it difficult to look away. After a moment of lingering eye contact, he quickly whirled around, moving to the opposite end of the room to store the books he’d bought with his tokens, setting the shield down next to his pack. “Partner? Are you alright?”

The concern in Erik’s voice hurt his soul. They used to always joke like this, in fact, when Hendrik joined the group, he mistook Erik for Elian’s boyfriend, which led to a lot of laughter. That all changed thanks to Elian’s crush, and he couldn’t help but feel self-conscious when Erik spoke to him like that. The staring wasn’t a misunderstanding that they could joke about, he was staring because his feelings were getting too difficult to keep a lid on.

“Yeah, I’m fine Erik, I…” He sighed, shuffling over to sit down on the edge of his own bed, glancing over. Erik’s eyes were gazing at him earnestly, strands of his spiked hair drooping down to frame his slender face so perfectly, that it was difficult not to lose his train of thought. Even when his face was wracked with concern, he was beautiful. “I’ve just been feeling kinda stressed lately, I guess. Spending so much time in Cobblestone, I just never really had time to myself, and with travelling again, I guess I just…” He trailed off, not really sure what he was getting at. He wasn’t nearly confident enough to admit his feelings to Erik yet, so he was just rambling, yet Erik showed a look of understanding. Elian really wasn’t sure how; he wasn’t even sure what he was trying to say.

“Oh! I totally get it partner, don’t worry! Believe me, travelling with Mia has been a nightmare when it comes to alone time.” He explained, and Elian seemed to relax some, thankful that his half-baked attempt at explaining some of his feelings was going down well. “Like, I can’t just say, ‘Mia, go explore by yourself while I have a wank.’ It’s kinda inappropriate, y’know?” Erik continued on as if it was the most casual topic available.

The cogs slowly turned in Elian’s head until he realized what Erik was talking about, and that he assumed that was what _he_ had been talking about. His eyes widened, cheeks going bright red. “Wait! No, that’s not what I meant when I said alone time!” Elian quickly interjected, burying his face in his hands. Erik wasn’t exactly wrong, per se, but that definitely wasn’t what he meant. Elian was the type to love spending time with friends but needed some time away to recharge. Life in Cobblestone was back to constantly being surrounded with people wanting to talk to him, and he’d often find a secluded place to go and hide away for a while.

Erik’s cheeks went bright red when he realized that he hadn’t been talking about that sort of _alone time_. “Oh…” They stared at each other for a moment before descending into a fit of laughter. Elian flopped back onto his bed, tears prickling in the corners of his eyes as he howled with laughter, vaguely aware of Erik’s own laughter on the next bed over. “I might actually be Erdrea’s stupidest man.” Erik said between laughter, holding onto his ribs as he recovered from his amusement.

“I wouldn’t say stupid, maybe just earnest. With a little lack of common sense.” Elian said, cheeks sore from smiling so much, catching his breath from laughing so hard.

“You said you didn’t have time to yourself! That’s what I do when I’m alone!” Erik defended, before they started to laugh again. Elian wiped his eyes, managing to sit up as snickers still escaped him.

“Okay, I’ll admit that yes, I haven’t had much time for _that_ , but it’s not why I’ve been so stressed.” He said, shaking his head with an amused smile plastered on his face.

“Well, if you ever need me out of your hair, I’ll take the hint, leave you to yourself.” Erik hummed, grinning a little as Elian groaned. The Luminary grabbed one of his pillows, tossing it harmlessly at the rogue’s face as he flopped back onto the bed. This was what he wanted, to have his and Erik’s relationship stay the way its always been.

Things were back to normal, at least for now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tension, oh glorious tension! Also, Elian's scene in front of the mirror is just something that everyone should do once in a while, its good to tell yourself and your doubts that you're awesome. Thanks to everyone who's commented and left kudos so far, it means so much to me!


	7. An Unconventional Confession

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A slightly shorter chapter just to act as a bridge, things are gonna pick up in the next chapter, if all goes to plan!

The next few days in Puerto Valor were spent in relative peace. When looking in the mirror, Elian could spot the tell-tale bronze of a tan coating his skin. Cobblestone’s summers had a similar amount of sun, so Elian was used to earning a tan just for existing. Erik on the other hand, burnt very quickly on their second day. Elian had spent most of that day making sure that Erik kept in the shade, using some of his mum’s homemade sunscreen to help soothe the skin. Thankfully, the poor rogue hadn’t burnt to the point of skin peeling, or any of the other horrific tales his mother had told him about what happened if you stayed too long out in the sun without protection. After a day or two of rest, Erik was back to his regular self, and had even managed to gain a small tan, making sure he was careful after burning like he had.

Almost a week in Puerto Valor was like a dream, Elian spent most of it exploring the coast that extended along the beach that led down past the tall cliffs that signified the edge of Puerto Valor’s safety. With no significant monster threats, it allowed him to explore peacefully, find caves and stretches of beach that no one had been to in years. It was liberating, to spend time to himself. He missed the camaraderie of travelling alongside friends, and exploring Erdrea’s surface, but being able to recharge socially while enjoying himself and exploring was a great experience.

It was the morning of their last day in Puerto Valor. After such an extended time in the sun, Erik had suggested they return to Sniflheim. As reward for helping Sniflheim, and as recompense for their treatment at the hands of the Vikings and Mordegon’s forces, Queen Frysabel gifted a small home in the city to Erik and Mia. It was nothing to brag about, a small one-bedroom house that sat comfortably between the church and gate to the city. They rarely stayed in the house, instead opting to use the little home to store their various riches from their travels. Mia seemed reluctant to return, but with everything they had bought and won in Puerto Valor, they didn’t really have the capacity to carry anything else. Erik had also mentioned that in the last weeks of summer, Sniflheim often had beautiful lights in the sky, covering the darkness with hues of emerald, ruby and sapphire. Elian had heard, but never seen the sight, and longed to watch it with his own eyes, so he agreed happily.

Erik was currently at one of the nearby shops, with some of his own money and some of Elian’s, something the Luminary had to insist upon, to pick up supplies for the ship journey ahead. Unlike the trip between Gondolia and Puerto Valor, getting from the beachside town to Sniflheim took a day or two, and it was best to make the journey with some provisions.

Over the last few days, Elian’s confidence, and his desperation had been growing, both in relation to Erik. With each conversation with the rogue, he found it more and more difficult to keep up the internal debate, of whether or not he should just tell Erik how he felt, about his attraction, or keep it a secret and preserve the friendship he had. He was at the point in his internal debates where his eagerness to tell the man and relieve himself of the weight on his shoulders was beating his fear of rejection. He told himself, the next time he saw Erik, he’d tell him. Erik would understand, even if he didn’t feel the same, he knew that telling him was just necessary, for his own mental health. If he didn’t feel the same way, Elian could finally move on.

The door clicked open, and Elian took a deep breath. He didn’t turn around, fearing that the sight of Erik would shake his resolve. “I like you, Erik. More than a friend, I’ve been struggling to say those words for so long now, but I can’t help it. I understand if you don’t feel the same, I just had to tell you. There’s no pressure.” It was like he thought, there was a sudden weightlessness, as if all the worries he had been carrying were stripped from him. He could breathe, for the first time in almost two weeks.

“Uh… I was just coming to tell him I was going to the beach.” The voice. _Her_ voice. Elian’s face erupted into a fiery crimson blush as he realized that no, of course it wouldn’t be that simple. He had admitted his feelings, poured out his heart, to the wrong sibling. He slowly turned around, expecting Mia to be in a fit of laughter, but instead her face conveyed sympathy. She closed the door behind her, smiling a little, a hint of sadness on her lips. They’d always gotten on well enough, after he had helped Erik free her from her curse. He was glad that the young girl didn’t have to go through the trauma of becoming Gyldygga in this timeline.

“Mia, I…” He couldn’t think of a defence and doubted the younger girl would believe it was a joke.

“He’s pretty clueless, huh?” She asked, shuffling over to sit on the edge of the desk that was sat up against the wall opposite their beds. Elian let out a soft snort of amusement, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

“Kinda. Have I been that obvious?” Elian asked, to which Mia nodded almost instantly, voicing her agreement. “Alright, jeez, no need to agree that quick.” Elian pouted, a snicker escaping the blue haired girl.

“Listen, I won’t tell him. This should be something you tell him on your own, but you really shouldn’t worry so much. Haven’t you seen how happy he gets when you’re around? My brother doesn’t tend to talk about his feelings, at least not to me, but you’d have to be blind not to see how he feels. No offence.” She said, the same cheeky grin Erik often wore, plastered to her lips. Gemma’s words began repeating in his mind. This discussion was becoming a theme, and he really didn’t enjoy it.

“We’re best friends, we love being around each other. That’s all.” Elian said, though it was more difficult to convince himself this time, and near impossible to convince Mia.

“Oh please, he lights up the same way he does for treasure whenever he sees you. For my brother, that’s pretty much true love.” Mia’s words seared into his skin like a brand. _True love._ Imagining a life where Erik said that kind of thing to him could have moved the Luminary to tears if he had the time to sit and contemplate it, but he’d rather not start blubbering in front of Mia.

“I…” He started, but he didn’t really know where he was going for it. After a moment, he nodded. “I’ll keep it in mind, but I think any confidence I had to admitting it, especially to him, is shattered.” He said, a sheepish laugh escaping him. Mia’s smile became more mirthful at his words as she nodded.

“Take your time, you could spend years with my brother, and he’d be happy to follow you around like a lovestruck puppy, you’re in no rush.” She teased, grinning as she hopped down off the desk. Erik opened the door as she hopped down, raising an eyebrow.

“Oh, so you’re allowed to pester my friends, but I don’t even get to meet yours? I’ll remember this next time I see you with some new people. Perfect time to embarrass you.” Erik’s barbs were laced with fondness, masquerading as exasperation as he crossed the room, two bags of supplies in either hand.

“ _Our_ friend, I’ll have you know. Me and El good friends, right?” She asked Elian, winking knowingly as she shuffled over to the door. Elian barely supressed the snicker, before nodding.

“Guess there’s room in my life for two blue haired thieves, sorry Erik.” Elian joked along with them, smiling at the situation.

Erik let out a faux gasp, whirling around to face Mia. “He is the Luminary, our gracious savour, he doesn’t have time to waste with such a lowly pickpocket like you.” Erik's voice went an octave higher, as if he were an offended noble. He turned on his heel, pointing at Mia accusingly, crossing back towards the door as Mia readied to escape.

“Oh yeah? How do you explain yourself then? Couldn’t even steal coins from a blind guy!” She shot back, moving to the door before Erik stopped her.

“Ah ah! Before you run off to tell your friends how you ‘totally owned’ your dumb older brother.” Erik really leaned into the old-timer title he’d been given by the younger girl, handing over the bag, half of the contents removed and sat on his bed. “Take this and make sure your stuff is packed and ready to go tomorrow, okay?” Erik leant down, giving the top of her head a brotherly kiss. Mia managed a roll of her eyes, but her smile betrayed the fondness for her sibling.

“Yeah yeah, I will, thanks Erik.” She slipped out the door, bag in tow as she made her way down to her room.

The scene warmed Elian’s heart, and he couldn’t stop smiling even when Erik turned to look at him, raising an eyebrow.

“You okay partner?” The rogue asked, walking over to his bed to get started on figuring out where to put his supplies. Elian nodded a little, getting up from his seat on the bed. Despite not actually saying it to Erik, saying the words out loud had managed to make him feel better. At least, it made him feel like talking to Erik wasn’t such a burden, something he could easily mess up.

“Yeah, sorry. I was just thinking, it must be nice to have a sibling. Closest thing I ever had was Gemma, and I guess now, Jade. But, growing up, it would have been nice to have a real brother or sister.” He said, scooping up the bag of supplies that Erik had picked up, the jingle of loose coins showing that he’d miscalculated how much the stuff would cost, and gave Erik too much money. He quickly thanked the rogue before he had a chance to speak, setting about to work on his pack too.

“That was one of the nice moments.” Erik pointed out, grinning a little as he lifted out some of the unfolded clothes, neatening it up a bit so he’d get more space out of the laden pack. “She can be a nightmare. I’m sure I can be too. But yeah, I guess it is nice to have her. Realistically, she was all I had growing up, and I was all she had. The Vikings could hardly be classed as parental, in anything they do.” He said, glancing back at Elian. The brown-haired man had lifted his pack rather than hunch over it, and was sat cross legged on his bed, transferring supplies to the satchel meticulously.

“I don’t think I ever asked, but why were you brought up by the Vikings? I mean, ignoring the obvious.” He knew Erik had to of lost his true parents, but he had never delved into the story with the rogue, not knowing how to bring it up. With Erik bringing it up, he thought now would be best.

“I guess I never really explained. My mother, she was a Viking, and my father, he was from Sniflheim. They met and fell in love, and had me. I lived with my father for the most part, occasionally spending some time in the Viking Hideout with my mother. After a few years, they had Mia. I don’t really remember a lot of this, the priest in Sniflheim helped me with some of the memories I was too young to know. He was a friend of my fathers, and the one who married them.” Erik explained.

Elian remembered the priest, he was the one who had helped Erik remember his past when he’d lost his memories, in the timeline Elian was originally from. He was the one that helped them to save Mia from her fate as Gyldygga. “So, what happened? It sounds like a nice family, even if they did have to stay apart.” Elian asked, and as he did, Erik’s face fell, ever so slightly. If he wasn’t paying attention, he would have probably missed it. But he knew the rogue better than anyone and knew where this tale was heading.

“My mother went on a raid, an extremely dangerous one. My father stubbornly refused to let her go alone, and left us in the care of the Vikings to keep us safe. They never came back. Almost thirty of them in all, and they never came home.” Erik’s voice wavered slightly, so he cleared his throat, attempting a smile, but it didn’t convey anything close to happiness. “The Vikings lost a lot after that, and didn’t have enough to look after two kids, or just didn’t care. At that point, I was about nine, old enough to look after a five-year-old apparently.” There was a cold bitterness in his voice, one he didn’t bother to hide.

“Erik… I’m so sorry.” He set his pack down and climbed off the bed, moving to kneel down beside Erik. He wrapped an arm around his shoulders, the other arm looping across his chest, pulling him into a sideward hug. Thankfully, Erik didn’t break down into tears at this, Elian didn’t know if he could deal with making Erik cry.

“It’s okay, its been a long time since I thought about it, that’s all.” Erik said. The rogue lay his head against Elian’s shoulder, shuffling into the embrace. Elian happily held the man close, resting his forehead against Erik’s head, a vaguely coconutty aroma wafting up from Erik’s vibrant blue spikes. For once, Elian’s proximity to Erik wasn’t plagued with thoughts of unmentionable acts, instead he was simply comforting a friend in need. This was what he was afraid of losing.

Elian let go of the rogue, nodding a little. “I understand. I’m sorry I never asked sooner, I just didn’t know if it was something that you would want to talk about.” He explained, slowly standing up, reaching down to ruffle the other man’s hair.

Erik chuckled, batting his hand away as he fixed his hair, going back to putting his supplies away. “Well, I’m glad to have told someone honestly, so no need to apologize.” He assured, giving Elian some relief. He sat back down on the bed, filling his pack with the last of his supplies. Once his pack was properly supplied, he set it down off the side of his bed, looking over at Erik.

“To avoid dwelling on sad thoughts, why don’t we go for a walk? I wouldn’t mind going over to the bridge, we always see the view from beneath, I never really stopped to appreciate the view the other way around.” He said, thinking about the huge bridge that linked Puerto Valor to the rest of the world, and acted as a gateway to the rest of the sea.

“Yeah, that sounds like a good plan partner.” Erik said, similarly finished with his own pack. Elian nodded, pocketing the key from his bedside table before shuffling over to the door, rogue in tow.

Puerto Valor in the morning sun was always a beautiful sight, buildings of alabaster reflecting the bright light of the sun, the muted cobble underfoot serving to dampen the shine, though it kept in the heat remarkably well, serving to keep anyone who travelled the town nice and warm. Erik and Elian made their way along the upper part of Puerto Valor, passing the various shops that clustered around the end of the bridge, the well-maintained church and the plaza that led down to Don Rodrigo’s villa. They stopped by the middle of the bridge, various visitors to the town, merchants and locals filtering in and out of the beachside city.

Elian leant his arms against the edge of the bridge, gazing out on the horizon. Far beneath the bridge, a chasm of water flowed out to the ocean, while ahead of him, he could see much of Erdrea’s southern landmass, stretched out to the very edges of his vision, encircling the inner sea. The sun was peaking over the mountain range that he could recognize as Hotto, which just helped to cement how far they’d come in only a week or so. The Luminary glanced to his side, raising an eyebrow as he looked at Erik. The rogue seemed transfixed, and Elian being Elian, assumed he’d gotten a good look at the view.

“It’s pretty amazing, huh? I’m glad we managed to save all this.” Elian said, a soft smile on his lips as he glanced back towards the horizon again.

What Elian didn’t seem to understand was how Erik was gazing at him, as if the horizon was a smudged drawing, and Elian was a priceless painting. The smile he’d offered Erik was something he hadn’t really thought much of, but the rogue treasured it more than Elian could ever know.

Erik leant against the bridge’s edge like Elian was, seeming slightly distracted, keeping his eyes fixed on the sapphire waves beneath them. “It’s incredible, probably one of the best views I’ve ever seen.” Erik’s words seemed to have a hidden layer to them, speaking knowingly to Elian, but the Luminary didn’t feel the need to push the subject.

“So, when’s the ship to Sniflheim leave?” Elian asked, leaning his head down against his arms, looking at Erik, forsaking the beautiful view, exchanging it for one he would argue, might just be even more beautiful. Erik, stood with the morning sun shining on him was quite the sight, his hair practically glittering like aquamarine, his skin’s subtle tan glowing even more radiantly with the help of the sun.

“Early tomorrow morning, we’ll have cabins to sleep in since the ship takes so long to reach Sniflheim. We should be in town by the evening.” He explained. Elian nodded a little, understanding the whims of the sea after travelling on the Salty Stallion for so long with Sylvando and the rest of the party. He’d spent many nights getting some subpar sleep on the ship when they were travelling, so he wasn’t too worried about that.

“Got it, it shouldn’t be too bad then.” Elian hoped. The seas were calmer now, for sure, but the frigid winds of the north were known for making sailing a pinch more difficult. He was glad he’d packed warmer clothes when he went back to Cobblestone. In a place like Puerto Valor, the solution to feeling too warm was to take off some layers, it was a bit harder to pack on the layers if you weren’t prepared for it. “Have you missed Sniflheim at all?” He asked curiously. It seemed like Erik didn’t really feel that Sniflheim was his home, all things considered.

“Sort of? I guess I kinda miss the people, it’s a nice place to stay for sure, but my home is on the road, travelling and seeing all that I can.” Elian nodded a little, understanding Erik’s love of adventure, it was an itch that was hard to ignore.

“What, you never want to settle down? Start a family, that kind of thing?” He realized it was a strange thing to ask, considering they were both still just around the age of twenty, and nowhere near ready thinking about families and the like.

“Why? You offering?” Erik teased, nudging Elian’s ribs with his elbow. Elian rolled his eyes, a soft snicker escaping his lips.

“Yeah, sure, you can be the housewife, I’ll tend the fields and you can make some delicious dishes.” Elian replied, joking alongside the rogue. If not for his discussion with Mia earlier, he would never have been able to follow through with a joke like that without blushing.

“Hey! Who said I’d be the housewife? I bet you’d look better in an apron.” Erik pointed out, a grin on his lips. Elian laughed, shaking his head.

“As if, you’re the one that wants to get better at cooking, you’ll be our delightful home chef.” Elian hummed, smiling over at Erik. He could’ve sworn, in that moment, he really could’ve just told Erik how he felt.

Of course, his nerves didn’t allow it.

They continued chatting and joking like that as they wandered Puerto Valor, soaking in the warmth and company they shared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ally gained: Mia! Poor Elian now has to deal with her teasing as well as Erik's, rip. Hope you all enjoyed, thanks for all the comments and kudos so far!


	8. On the Ocean

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, the real reason for the explicit rating!

Elian jolted awake, the sheath that kept the Sword of Light safe, clattering against the floor. Setting it on the desk was likely a bad idea. He groaned a little, rubbing at his eyes. By the looks of it, it couldn’t have been far past two in the morning. Rain thundered down harder and harder, and as the room lifted and fell, the crashing of waves against the wall grew more intense. ‘A summer storm’, the captain had explained as they returned to their cabins for the night. He ignored the fact that they’d been long away from Puerto Valor at the time, and even the wind began to cool as they travelled north.

Elian flopped back onto the rickety bed, groaning in annoyance. As if to respond, a flash of lightning shone through the small porthole window, followed by the peal of thunder, rumbling through the sky. The room itself was tiny, built to fit as many people on the ships as possible. He couldn’t deny that the room was quite cosy, but in the midst of a storm, it was hard not to feel on edge in the small, pitch black room. After people began travelling Erdrea more frequently, passenger ships were much more common, and built to survive the rigours of the sea while also moving as many people as they could manage. He gazed up at the ceiling for a few moments before glancing off to the side. Between the bed and the wall was a small desk, the sheath laying on the floor beside it. It was odd, looking out on the darkness and not seeing Erik in the bed opposite. He’d taken their time in Puerto Valor for granted a little, even though it was such a short time, he’d become so accustomed to having the rogue in the same room as him. He tugged the sheets up over himself, trying to stave off the chill in the air.

Despite how loud the rain managed to pour, there was something relaxing about the constant drumbeat of water against the top of the ship. His cabin was one floor down, so the sound was muted, reverberating through the ship, and by the time it reached Elian, it was a subtle din of sound, surprisingly effective at lulling Elian to sleep. He rolled onto his side, tucking his right arm under his pillow as he closed his eyes. A quiet yawn escaped him as he steadily fell asleep.

_As his eyes opened, he was gazing out on the ocean again. Even when nothing was there, he felt some strange kind of anxiousness in the pit of his stomach. Something still wasn’t right, out there in the deep. His thoughts disintegrated as the scene shifted from Puerto Valor’s beach to a place he could only assume was near Sniflheim, based on the snow perched on edges of the beach, staining the grass white, the sand he was sat on was cool to the touch._

_Like his last dream, the moon hung high in the sky, the water reflecting its silvery glow. He felt, at least in some part of himself, that he knew it was a dream, but he couldn’t focus on that thought, it was like the sand beneath him, slipping away as he tried desperately to grasp at it. He was sat, reclined with his hands behind him, propping himself up, his legs outstretched. He was as comfortable as could be in those moments, even the cold didn’t bother his undressed state._

_In the next second, Erik was beside him. He was in a similar position, though his hand was resting atop Elian’s, fingers curled around in a casual display of intimacy. He looked to his side; eyes locked with Erik’s. His cheeks went pink as he watched the rogue lean in, their lips meeting. Elian did nothing to deny his dream self, and instead, leant into the kiss, moving his spare hand to rest against Erik’s chest. He was in the same maddeningly short shorts he’d worn to the beach last week. Elian hadn’t looked, he just seemed to know that it was true._

_The scene melted away, and now Elian was laying back against the sand, gazing down at the rogue nestled between his legs. Feeling the dextrous digits running up and down his thighs caused shivers to dance up his back. He rolled his hips upwards, desperate. Erik only smiled, leaning up to bite down on the waistband of Elian’s shorts, dragging them down. Elian was ashamedly hard from the display, his cock throbbing at the sight of Erik’s very obvious lust. Again, without words, the thief moved one of his hands, wrapping around the thick shaft, peppering the Luminary’s hefty balls with eager kisses as he began to move his lips upwards. He adjusted his hand, keeping hold of the Luminary’s cock as he kissed up the shaft, before brushing eager licks against the head._

_Elian couldn’t help but moan, cheeks erupting into a crimson blush. They were outside. The other dream was on the beach too. If he weren’t dreaming, he’d have been worrying about his tendencies. His hand reached down to grasp some of Erik’s cyan blue locks, biting his bottom lip. Erik wrapped his lips around the head of the hero’s cock, their eyes clashing for a moment before he began to suck, pushing his head down to accept more of Elian’s flesh into his mouth, subtle moans escaping the rogue. The sight was enough to push Elian so close to the edge that it was almost embarrassing. With skill that made the Luminary assume it wasn’t his first time, he watched as Erik continued to push downwards, until finally, impressively, Erik had managed to swallow him down to the base, nose pressed into his dusting of well-trimmed pubes, fingers gripping onto Elian’s thick, muscular thighs._

_“Erik, I can’t… Please, I…”_

He bolted upright, a particularly high cresting wave causing the ship to drop significantly in the water. He panted, sweat dripping down his forehead. His chest rose and fell as he gathered his composure, eyes adjusting to the brightness of the room. Sunlight filtered in through the porthole, occasionally dimming as the waves splashed up against the side of the ship. It must have been late, Erik was the one who usually woke up early, so being alone let him sleep much later than usual.

Alone.

His eyes drifted downwards, the tell-tale signs of a particularly raunchy dream presenting itself as a noticeable bulge in his pyjama pants. He pushed the sheets down, before tossing them aside, bunching them up against the wall. He quickly tugged his pyjama top up over his head, slightly damp around collar, as he dropped it off the side of the bed. He lay back down, eagerly tugging his pants down, underwear following suit as his erection flopped out, slapping down, a satisfying sound of flesh on flesh echoing as he swiftly wrapped his hand around the dripping length.

Elian rested his head back against the pillow, his spare hand reaching up to rub and grasp at his own chest as his hips rolled upwards, meeting his desperate touches. He wasn’t interested in stamina, he had no one to impress right now, all he cared about were results. His mind immediately drifted to the dream, doing his best to remember specifics as they filtered out of his mind. His hand worked swiftly, smearing some of his precum against his palm before rubbing it over the rest of his shaft. He let out a keening whine as he bucked his hips upwards, panting as he eagerly rushed himself to oblivion, mind shifting from the dream to the baths, the sight of Erik, a little sweaty and oh so perfectly naked, his supple body on display. He throbbed at the idea of it being on purpose, Erik confidently displaying his body for Elian, and only Elian. It lit a fire in the pit of his stomach as he moved his hand faster, his fingers starting to rub and tweak his nipples that had hardened in the cool air of his room, his arousal burning a fire through him that he wouldn’t be able to deny for much longer.

He writhed in the rickety bed, eyes scrunched closed as he began to whisper Erik’s name, reverently as if he were praying to Yggdrasil herself. He’d be hard pressed to deny that he was desperate to be on his knees in front of the rogue. He’d never really been a fervent believer, or prayer, but worshipping Erik was something he could picture himself doing for the rest of his mortal life. “Fuck…” He cursed, through clenched teeth as he worked himself faster, frantic as he felt himself tighten, muscles coiling and bracing as he approached his peak.

“Partner? You awake?” Erik’s voice, clueless and kind, drifted through the door, followed by light knocking. Elian couldn’t hold back, lifting his hand up to bite into, muffling any cries that could have told Erik exactly what was going on. His orgasm was, for lack of better words, spectacular, and he was almost disappointed that it hadn’t been with Erik, and was instead a product of his hand. Cum splattered against his chest, his abdomen, and oozed out, trickling down his shaft as he attempted to recover from his intense high.

“Yeah!” He called, doing his best to hide the exhaustion in his voice. He quickly realized that might have been seen as an invitation. “I’m just getting ready! I’ll meet you on deck in a few!” He quickly added, propping himself up on one elbow, his hand still wrapped around himself to avoid making any more of a mess.

“Alright, I’ll get us some lunch, okay?” Erik’s voice was followed by the sound of footsteps, retreating from his doorstep. Elian let out a sigh of relief, before looking towards the porthole. Lunch? Maybe he did sleep too long. He shook his head, climbing up out of the bed shakily. He shuffled over to tiny wardrobe at the end of the room, kneeling down to pull a small basin of water out from underneath. It was secured in such a way that it’d avoid being knocked over in the night if the waves got violent. He scrubbed his hands clean, before washing the evidence of his morning off his heated skin. Once he was much cleaner, he poured the mucky water out the porthole, before securing the window back up again. He was thankful that the things were magically sealed, or else the storm last night would have likely flooded his room.

He put the basin back down underneath the small wardrobe before shuffling over to gather up his discarded pyjamas, folding them and his underwear, tucking them into his bag. Now that the room was vaguely in order, he slipped into his warmer clothes. His warmer clothes simply consisted of pants similar to his regular, but a little thicker, some wool padding stitched into the undersides of the clothing. His favourite purple leather tunic had sleeves with fluffy cuffs, and a hood with a similarly fluffy rim, the inside of the tunic lined with a woollen stitching like his pants. Once he was dressed, and he’d calmed down significantly, he left the room.

His mind had cleared somewhat, and with that, the guilt of using Erik as a way to get off while the rogue was right outside the door had settled. Despite the guilt weighing him down, there was something about the idea of Erik being so close when he did that, even listening, spying on him. He cleared his head quickly, focusing on anything but the idea as his cheeks lit up. If his every sleeping, and waking thoughts were going to revolve around Erik, he was going to have to get a hold of himself and figure out a way to not blush every time he started thinking about Erik.

Or, he could try and avoid thinking about Erik in such perverted ways, that could also help.

He carefully made his way up the stairs, still not quite used to moving about on a boat again. The ship swayed back and forth with his steps, and steadily he reached the top, walking out onto the deck. A pleasant breeze wormed its way across the surface of the sea, and the sun glinted in the afternoon sky. It seemed that the storm had cleared as they sailed through the night, and was now replaced by a beautiful, clear day. It was hard not to be happy in moments like these.

Once his eyes had adjusted to the sudden light after the dim surroundings below deck, Elian quickly spotted Erik, sat at a small table beside the railings, a small basket of food sat on the table. Elian moved over to the table, offering up a small smile as he sat down opposite the rogue, peering into the basket. Erik had already taken one of the sandwiches out of the basket, and was midway through it. It also included some small, crusty rolls and a selection of fruit. “Sorry I took so long to wake up.” Elian said sheepishly as he plucked out the sandwich, taking a green apple with it.

“I thought it was best to let you rest, we won’t be in Sniflheim until dark, so you’re gonna need your energy. I don’t want to have to carry you into town like I had to carry you up to bed in Heliodor. Up the stairs I can manage, across town, maybe not.” He joked, chuckling at the indignant pout on Elian’s face as he started on his sandwich.

“Well, I’ll thank you and ignore the thinly veiled comment on my weight. You just can’t handle all these muscles.” Elian said, barely containing the amused grin as Erik laughed. Elian bit into the sandwich, recognizing the flavour of the chicken. It had been cooked in lots of herbs, similar to the lamb he always had in Heliodor, with slices of lettuce, tomato and some sort of spiced mayonnaise making up the rest of the sandwich. It was delicious and reminded him that Erik really did have his favourite foods committed to memory. “Where’s Mia?” Elian asked, covering his mouth as he spoke, attempting to be polite while he wolfed down the sandwich.

“Sleeping, she doesn’t like ships very much, especially longer journeys, so she usually does her best to sleep through them.” Erik explained, taking a bite out of his own sandwich. “She usually has a blend of sleeping herbs cooked into tea on hand, but we couldn’t find any at Puerto Valor, so we’ll have to buy some when we reach Sniflheim.” Erik explained, seeming to feel guilty over his inability to help his younger sisters’ predicament.

“I had no idea, she seemed fine when we hopped aboard yesterday; I could have used Zoom to get us here and avoided the storm.” Elian murmured, finishing off the first half of his sandwich. While it was definitely more fun to travel without using it, it could have spared Mia the discomfort of a lengthy ship journey.

“Don’t worry about it partner, I said that to her last night, but she really didn’t seem to mind.” He said, picking up his sandwich to continue eating, glancing out on the ocean. The ship sailed through the water with ease, not quite as fast as Sylvando’s personal vessel, but they were continuing to improve the transport ships all around Erdrea, last Elian had heard, a group of fishermen from Lonalulu had been hired on to help build some of these ships, it was something they’d been doing all their lives after all. “Plus, she does fine when she first gets on, after she’s slept on a ship, she just goes downhill.”

“Right, still I feel bad that she’s not doing so good.” Elian murmured, finishing off his second piece of sandwich in seconds, wiping the crumbs from his face.

“You sure you’re not just hungry and mistaking that for y’know, regular human emotion?” Erik asked with a chuckle, sitting up properly in his seat. “You never used to inhale your food, you alright?” The rogue asked, his humour tinged with worry. Elian realized he had been eating pretty fast, but considering he hadn’t really eaten much the night before, and his morning was more intense than most wakeups, he had good reason.

“Heh, sorry. Just really hungry.” He said, setting down the apple he was about to tear into. He didn’t need to worry Erik any more than he probably had. The rogue just smiled a little and nodded, setting his sandwich down.

“We’ve got a few hours left on the ship, any plans?” Erik asked, not really knowing what he was going to do himself.

“Uh, I actually did. Well, hopefully. That book you were reading in Puerto Valor, have you finished it? I keep thinking about it, truth be told, and I wouldn’t mind giving it a read.” He explained, not really knowing anything else to do. The ship was limited on entertainment, a trade off for the amount of people it could effectively, and safely, transport across the world.

“Well, no I haven’t. Honestly, it’s been going slow. So, how about a deal? I’ll give you it to read, if you read it aloud for me? There’s a spot up at the front of the ship, best views you’ll find, plus it’s always better to share a book, right?” Erik suggested, giving Elian one of his most eager smiles. It was hard to deny him when his smile shone brighter than the sun itself.

“You want me to read it to you? I mean, I guess I could.” Elian said, shrugging as he picked up a small bottle of water, uncapping the cool glass, taking a sip.

“Well obviously, might get to hear more of your country twang.” Erik hummed, a teasing smile on his lips, which was met with a roll of Elian’s eyes. He was about to respond before Erik continued. “And anyway, I kinda forgot what happened at the start of the book, I’ve had it for ages.” He said, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. Elian couldn’t hide his smile, and instead nodded.

“Alright fine, go get the book, I’ll go find us a spot where we won’t fall into the ocean, how’s that?” The Luminary asked as he stood up from his seat. Erik nodded and put the remains of their lunch into the basket, hopping up from his spot, tucking in his chair before scurrying off across the deck. Elian had to cover his mouth to muffle the laughter. Erik never used to be the kind of person to show when he was excited, Elian and the rest of the group had to coax him out of his shell. Though, now that he thought about it, they all had that in some way or another, they were mostly all strangers to each other, but ended their adventure as family.

Elian made his way down the length of the ship, eventually finding the place Erik had been talking about at the bow of the ship. Just beneath the very edge of the ship, there was a surface that you could easily sit on without falling backwards into the sea. Elian sat down, stretching his arms over his head with a soft grunt. He settled back against the wooden prow of the ship, sighing comfortably. Turns out Erik was right, the seat was fairly comfortable, all things considered. It might not be worthy of royalty, but Elian was more than happy to have a seat. It was odd to have his back facing the direction the ship was moving, but the more he sat and relaxed, the sooner he got used to it.

“You look comfy.” Erik called over, trotting to a stop at the edge of the surface Elian was sat on, setting his bag down. He tugged out a pillow he’d swiped from his bed, passing it to Elian before rooting around in the bag for the book.

“I am, even more so now, thanks.” Elian hummed, putting the pillow behind his back before settling back into position. Erik lifted the book out of his bag, removing the bookmark he’d been using, tucking it into the back page, before climbing onto the makeshift seat, laying his head back into Elian’s lap, holding the book up with both hands.

“Here you go.” He said, casual as usual as Elian’s cheeks went pink.

“Couldn’t you just bring two pillows?” Elian asked, raising an eyebrow as he took the book from Erik’s hands, carefully opening the book to the first page. He didn’t really know why he bothered being delicate, the spine of the book had seen better days, likely due to Erik not overly caring about the presentation of the book.

“And all that would leave for you to do is read, c’mon you’re used to being the star of the hour.” Erik hummed, tucking his hands behind his head as he got comfortable, eyes closing. Feeling Erik’s fingers brush against him, even through thick clothing made him blush. He silently thanked Yggdrasil that he’d actually managed to indulge himself earlier, having Erik in such close proximity while he was pent up might have just killed him dead.

“Okay okay, fine. I’ll ignore that snarky little comment and get reading, shall I?” Elian’s words were laced with amusement, the sarcastic tone fabricated. Or at least, partially so. Erik and Elian’s relationship tended to cycle through one being exasperated with the other, though they rarely ever meant it. At least, Elian couldn’t remember a time that he was truly exasperated by the rogue.

Surprising even himself, Elian managed to get quickly engrossed in the story, and did his best to read out the words fluently, without stumbling over his words. Erik would simply smile if Elian stumbled, reaching his hand up to nudge at his arm before squeezing gently, not bothering to open his eyes, hence the nudging. It was strangely endearing, and very reassuring. Like this, he was starting to see why Gemma, and now Mia, were adamant that Erik’s feelings were more than just friendly. Thankfully, he managed to get through speaking without too many mistakes.

He distinctly remembered Veronica being audibly surprised by how good he was with books and reading. His adoptive grandfather, Chalky, had a veritable treasure trove of books in his house, and when he was growing up, Elian often spent days tucked away inside, reading. Cobblestone’s summers were radiant, while every other season was a variety of rain, with winter just being sort-of-snow, but mainly rain. Apparently, when he was very young, they had a proper snowfall, and Cobblestone was blanketed in beautiful white snow for weeks. He was always sad that he couldn’t properly remember the time, only snippets since he had been only a few years old at the time.

He paused, finishing the tenth chapter of the book, only now noticing how dark the sky had grown, and after peering down at Erik, he at peace he looked. In fact, he was surprised the rogue wasn’t asleep. “Hey Erik? I think we’re almost there.” He said, glancing up at the sky. The sky was clear, the sun skirting the horizon, allowing anyone who looked, to see the stars.

“Mm, really?” Erik sat up, stretching a little before hopping down off their makeshift seat, nodding towards the direction of the cabins. “Better get going then, you’re gonna have to do that again though, I kinda enjoyed the book better when you were reading it.” Erik admitted. Elian was more than happy to make it a regular thing if they had nothing else to do, nodding as he hopped up too.

Erik accepted the pillow and book from Elian before setting off with the Luminary in tow. They split once they were under the deck, Elian going to gather his stuff while Erik did the same, checking in on Mia and getting her ready. The hustle and bustle of movement above his head told Elian that most of the passengers had made their way off the ship. He finished off packing his stuff before strapping the Sword of Light to his back, jogging his way up the steps before heading to the gangplank. He slid down it carefully before coming to a stop on the dock, gazing up in awe.

Sniflheim rose prominently before him, its ivory walls so similar to the snow surrounding it. That wasn’t what caused him to stop. High above Sniflheim, painting the night sky, was the lights Erik had mentioned. He had called it an aurora, a beautiful canvas of blues, greens and reds illuminated the darkness, reflecting off the water around him. It was as if the entire world had lit up against the dark. He heard movement behind him, then an arm over his shoulders. Erik gazed up, following Elian’s eyes. Mia appeared at his other side, looking up at him with a knowing smile, giving his side a nudge.

“It’s a great view, huh?” The younger girl asked, hefting the satchel over her shoulder a bit better, watching the pair.

“Yeah, breathtaking.” Elian managed to say, before glancing over at Erik. The lights in the sky seemed even more radiant when they were reflected on Erik’s face, the rogue’s bright blue eyes gazing into the skies above, so focused and attentive on the beautiful colours in the sky.

He reached his arm around Erik’s waist gently, as if he didn’t want to scare the man off, deciding to just enjoy the moment.

Breathtaking was the right word to use, Elian was sure of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now that they're in Sniflheim, I think the next few chapters are gonna shift towards adventure, but I'll have to wait and see. As always, thanks for all the support on this fic, it's definitely been my longest project and I'm loving it so much so far! Kudos is always appreciated, and comments are absolutely encouraged c:


	9. Warmth in the Cold

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two fairly lengthy chapters with only three days between 'em? That's progress!

Sniflheim truly was like an entirely different world. The city was so vibrant despite the biting chill in the air, and Elian was sure that the people that lived in Sniflheim were so warm and inviting specifically to spite the snow that surrounded them. After arriving at the docks, and sharing a moment that, now that he had time to think about it, was much more intimate than he’d expected it to be, especially with Mia barely holding back the urge to yell at them, likely to get a room.

Once they’d finished up on the dock, they made their way straight to the small house Erik had been gifted from Queen Frysabel. Despite being a little bit cramped, it was surprisingly homely. He was ready to put that down to Mia, but it turned out that Erik had done most of the planning for the house’s layout. He noticed a particular attention to detail in the kitchen and the living room, remembering that Erik had told him they barely stayed in the house for longer than a day or so at a time, so the bedroom was rarely used.

After a lengthy discussion, an argument from Mia’s perspective, over who would sleep on the couch, Elian finally won, and was allowed to get some sleep on the remarkably comfortable couch, much to Erik’s chagrin. Elian was given three pillows, a thick extra duvet that Erik had stored away, and was yet again offered the rogue’s bed before he was told to get out of the living room, couch pillows following his retreat as Elian got sick of the topic of conversation.

The Luminary cracked his eyes open, keeping them squinted as light filtered in from the thin curtains of the living room window, illuminating some of the room. It seemed early enough, and he was relieved it wasn’t the afternoon yet again. After a moment, he heard the sizzle of meat being cooked in a pan, and a moment after that, his nose was assaulted by the delightful scent of bacon, frying away on the stove. Elian sat himself up, peering over the back of the couch. The house was laid out nicely, with the front door opening into the living room itself, a staircase off to the side leading upstairs to the landing connected to both the bathroom and the one bedroom. The back of the living room had an open plan entryway that led into the nicely decorated kitchen.

His eyes settled on Erik, humming to himself quietly as he moved the bacon around the pan. He wasn’t in his regular outfit, instead he was wearing a loose white shirt, strings undone at the top of the shirt similar to how he wore his hoodie. Beneath that, a simple pair of black shorts, reaching down much more modestly than his swimwear did, much to Elian’s relief, an apron fastened to his front. He moved around the kitchen with grace befitting a dancer, or, Elian supposed, a cat burglar, looking through the various cupboards for more ingredients.

“I know I made a joke about settling down, but I didn’t think you’d jump at the chance so soon.” Elian was on his knees on the couch, resting himself on the back of the couch, wearing his red and black chequered pyjama pants, arms crossed so he could lean down on them.

Erik looked over from his position, up on his tip toes, searching through the top cupboard for whatever he was looking for. “Keep that up and you’re getting no bacon.” Erik shot back, pulling down a small loaf of bread, wrapped up tight to keep it fresh.

“Y’know what, I will sincerely apologize because I am so hungry, I think I might pass out.” Elian said, grinning as he climbed off the couch, padding his way across the living room floor, taking the plunge as he stepped foot on the stone floor of the kitchen, hissing at the frosty feeling that leapt from his bare feet right up his back.

“You deserve that.” Erik hummed, chuckling amusedly as he took the loaf of bread out, cutting what remained of the bread into four slices. Elian simply stuck his tongue out, before tiptoeing towards the sink quickly to get himself a drink.

“You’re a cruel man.” He huffed, taking a sip of his water. “Isn’t Mia joining us?” The Luminary questioned before the thundering sound of the younger blue haired rogue rushing down the stairs.

“That’s me ready, see you later!” Mia called, dressed in her regular outfit, albeit with some thick tights and a longer top to ensure she didn’t get too cold during the day.

“Ah, never mind.” Elian hummed, an amused smile on his lips.

“Hey! Where are you going so soon?” Erik asked, before flipping the bacon in the pan. Elian could see how crispy it already was, and his mouth started to water. During their adventures, Rab would often be the one to wake the earliest, and would always make the group bacon on toast for breakfast, and Elian would ask for his to be kept cooking a little longer than the rest, preferring it to be ‘near cremated’, as Veronica often put it.

“I’m off to see Celia and Marek, why?” She asked, leaning back against the door, watching her brother with a look of exasperation, seeming to already know where the conversation was going.

“Seriously, Marek? I don’t know why you waste your time with that guy.” Erik murmured, shaking his head.

“We’re just friends, quit being so weird.” She groaned, opening up the door. “I’ll be back later.” She closed the door behind herself as Erik huffed, watching her go.

“Wow, I don’t think I’ve ever heard you dislike someone so much. Is this Marek guy the next world ending threat or something?” Elian asked curiously, a hint of humour in his words as he leant back against the counter, setting the cup of water down at his side.

“He’s just a waste of space.” Erik huffed, clearly not a fan of this Marek character.

“Not to be rude, but you’re technically a criminal.” Elian pointed out, knowing that Erik could quite easily turn around and say he was too, which was true. His words were more teasing than anything, and going by the look Erik gave him, he found it more amusing than insulting. He still had a sour look on his face when he continued to talk though.

“Oh shut up. Marek’s never going to amount to anything, he wants to be a musician for Yggdrasil’s sake.” It was clear in his voice that Erik didn’t care about that, he was just clutching at anything he could hate about the boy.

“Like Sylvando? Or Serena?” Elian quizzed, causing Erik to groan, looking back at him.

“You _know_ that’s not what I meant.” He said, before turning back to the pan, lifting the bacon from the pan, setting it on a tray before tucking it into the oven on an extremely low heat to keep it warm.

“I know you didn’t, so just speak properly, why do you hate him so much?” Elian asked, getting a little worried that this hatred was rooted deeper than Erik was letting on. He added a small chunk of butter to the pan before he lifted the slices of bread into it, starting to toast them in the mixture of bacon fat and butter.

“I don’t…” He relented, sighing a little. “She’s only sixteen, she’s hardly ready to be dating someone.” He said with another huff, keeping an eye on the bread as it slowly toasted.

“How old is he?” Elian asked, pushing off from the counter he was leaning on, moving over to the other side of the kitchen where Erik was grumpily toasting bread. He leaned down against the counter on his elbows, far enough away that the pan wouldn’t be able to spit hot bacon fat on his uncovered chest.

“He’s also sixteen.” Erik said with a sigh, clearly knowing that his argument was falling apart without much chance.

“You know I’m usually on your side with this kind of stuff, but you’ve gotta let her make her own decisions, and her own mistakes. Just think about it this way, if she falls for him and he breaks her heart, you have a great reason to kick his ass.” Elian pointed out, feeling slightly guilty that he was encouraging a rogue that managed to help defeat a cosmic horror that he could beat up a teenager if need be. Erik looked over at him, managing a small smile as he turned his attention back to the bread, flipping the slices over.

“Okay, fine, you’re right.” He said softly, toasting the other side, focusing on the toast rather than his friend. “I spent so long trying to get her back, I just don’t want someone to hurt her.” He said, glancing over at the Luminary. Elian nodded, smiling a little.

“I know Erik, you just have to hope that he won’t, rather than forbidding her to interact with anyone who could possibly hurt her in the future.” Elian hoped that Erik would take his advice to heart, worried that his friend was being far too protective over Mia. That being said, he knew that his own mother tended to be overprotective, and it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, but Mia seemed to do things in spite of her brother’s worrying, so it was more for Erik’s sanity than anything.

Erik sighed, kneeling down to retrieve the tray from the oven, hand tucked into an insulated cooking glove to ensure he didn’t burn himself. “Can you quit being so wise? It makes sulking very difficult.” Erik murmured, though there was some humour in his voice as he ducked into the pantry, coming back with some kind of blitzed up tomatoey preserve, sealed in a small jar. He popped the lid off and smeared a spoonful of the stuff over the toasted bread before layering some rashers of bacon on the top, offering the plate over to Elian.

“Hmm, I guess so, you’ve made me some delicious looking food, so I can cut you some slack.” He said, lifting the crispy slice of toast to his lips, taking a big; and very loud, bite out of the toast. He had to cover his mouth, quickly swallowing down the food. “That tastes amazing! You really have been practicing!” Elian praised eagerly as he got stuck in. Erik’s cheeks went pink at the unbridled praise, chuckling as he took his own plate, digging in.

“Well, I haven’t just been walking around for the past eight months, I had to find something to do.” He hummed, as if he were deftly avoiding the compliment.

“Erik, I’m serious, it’s clear you’ve put a lot of effort into getting better with this. I’m proud of you.” Elian’s voice was full of sincerity as he focused back on the toast, clearly enjoying himself with the delicious food.

Erik seemed to linger on Elian’s words, watching the Luminary as he devoured the offered-up food. He wasn’t exactly the politest of eaters, though he did cover his mouth in an attempt to avoid getting the toast everywhere. “Thanks partner, I mean it.” He said softly, gazing quietly at the other man before looking away, shuffling over to get himself a drink.

“You don’t have to thank me Erik, everyone deserves that kind of praise when they do so well at something they care about.” Elian noticed that Erik’s smile seemed to dim, only for a moment, before he turned to face him, offering up a small grin.

“Yggdrasil’s light shines bright, huh?” He teased, finishing off his toast before passing Elian, patting his shoulder as he approached the stairs in the living room. “I’m gonna go out and buy some groceries, our food here just about survived since last time we were here. I won’t be too long, but you should go spend some time looking around Sniflheim, I don’t wanna drag you around doing chores, okay?” Elian gave a little nod as Erik jogged up the stairs to get ready.

“Yggdrasil’s light?” Elian asked himself quietly, thinking to himself. He had no idea what Erik was talking about, but he was finding it very difficult to just let go of the offhand comment. He frowned a little, putting the plate down, food long finished. He quickly got dressed, before heading out into the morning sun, easily noting just how much colder it was in Sniflheim than it was anywhere else in Erdrea. He felt bad for just walking out without saying anything to his friend, but his comment still whirled around in his head. It wasn’t so much the comment itself, just the way he said it. There was something exasperated in Erik’s words, and Elian just couldn’t figure out what he’d said wrong.

He paced around town for a little while, before stopping in at the church. He wasn’t a particularly fervent worshipper, despite his status as the Luminary, but there was always something so calming about being in a church, something that felt safe. He approached the priest, exchanging small talk before deciding to give a Confession, something he hadn’t done in a long time, not really seeing the need to do so. Despite the title of the action, a ‘confession’, he decided to miss out the part where he was desperately falling in love with his best friend, and had done some very unsavoury things in the eyes of the church, who weren’t exactly known for their excitement over extramarital relations. To his knowledge, the church had no issue with men marrying men, or women marrying women, but he knew that they often encouraged people to wait until marriage before doing anything like that.

That being said, that kind of thinking was increasingly becoming a relic of the past, a by-product of Erdrea’s monsters posing such a threat. When the world was such a dangerous place to live, showing your love to someone was more common without a marriage ceremony, many believed there wasn’t any time for something so formal, when simply living in Erdrea put you in danger. With the defeat of Calasmos, marriage was getting a resurgence in popularity, as a way to dedicate yourself to your partner and show your love for one another. Elian liked the idea, but he still wasn’t quite sure if his feelings for Erik were simply lust or blossoming into something more.

After his confession, he shuffled over to one of the pews, sitting down with a quiet sigh, not entirely sure what he should do now.

“You know, they say that a problem shared, is a problem solved.” The priest he had been talking to, a man he’d say was maybe about ten years older than Hendrik, came and took a seat down next to Elian. He was wearing the typical priest’s robes, his chestnut brown hair tinged with streaks of grey. He seemed to be aging gracefully at least, only a few lines on his pale face.

“I don’t even if know if it’s a problem, that’s the thing. What if I’m just overreacting? Or not reading the situation properly?” Elian asked. He didn’t want to bring the problem up to Erik in case it really wasn’t an issue, and he’d blown it out of proportion. He feared that doing that would actually start the argument properly.

“The only advice I can give, is to speak to whoever you’re having this problem with. Communication may mend any rift, if you let it. Secrets and things unsaid have a way of creating problems. Our world is a beautiful place, even more so with friends and loved ones at your side.” He offered a kind, understanding smile to Elian. Elian knew this, of course, how could he not? He had never really been one to keep things from his friends, but after coming to this timeline, there were certain things he felt he needed to hide from them, to protect them. It was a burden he was willing to shoulder in solitude, because it meant his friends could be happy.

“Thank you, father, you’re right.” Elian relented with a soft sigh, nodding as he stood up from his seat, turning to offer a smile in return. “Really, thank you, I’ll go and try and fix this.” He said with a sheepish grin, making his way out of the church. The priest simply let out a chuckle, shaking his head as he got back to his pulpit, glad that the place wasn’t all that busy right now.

Elian jogged his way back towards Erik’s house, catching sight of the blue haired rogue, a pair of bags in hand, no doubt full of groceries. Erik managed to see him too, though it probably wasn’t so difficult considering Elian was wearing a long purple tunic against a backdrop of pure white.

“Oh, hey partner, get the door for me?” He asked, nodding to the door.

“I need to talk to you.” Elian said, approaching him.

“Okay, that’s fine. Door?” He asked, gesturing with his hands full of bags.

“Oh, right, sorry.” This was going swimmingly so far. Elian quickly got the door open, letting Erik in past him, which the rogue thanked him for. Erik made a beeline for the kitchen while Elian stood, fairly awkwardly at the doorway. The idea of confronting Erik made him feel odd, they almost never argued and the idea of Erik being angry at him was something he hated to think about.

“El? You wanted to talk to me about something?” Erik called through from the kitchen, busy in the cupboards, putting away the variety of products he had bought.

Elian pushed past the pit in his stomach and moved over to the threshold between the kitchen and living room, leaning against the wide doorframe as he focused himself. “What did you mean by ‘Yggdrasil’s light shines bright’?” Elian asked, his mouth going dry at how confrontational he sounded. He wanted nothing more than to turn tail and run.

“What?” Erik asked, turning to look at Elian before recognition of his own words dawned on him. “Oh, partner, really, you don’t have to worry about that. I shouldn’t have said it, I was being stupid.” The rogue said. He didn’t know what was worse, having Erik shout at him in a rip-roaring argument, or have him feel bad for his own words. Why was this so difficult?

“You shouldn’t have? Then why did you? What did you mean?” Elian asked, desperate to know so they could ether talk it out or be done with the argument and he could stop feeling a mixture of hostility or guilt, constantly shifting between the pair as if his head were fit to explode.

“I…” He stopped himself, a sigh escaping as he walked over to Elian. “You said ‘everyone deserves that’ or something, and I just… I got angry. I don’t know why, I know its just who you are, that you want to support everyone, but I just…” As Erik spoke, he seemed to lose his train of thought, finding it difficult to put it into words. But Elian felt he’d gotten the gist.

“You think I just treat you like everyone else?” Elian asked. His voice wasn’t hurt, or even hostile anymore, it was just full of confusion. He always worried that he was too obvious with how much he liked Erik. Their friends often teased that Erik was the favourite, and the more he thought on it, the more he realized that they were right, he had been quite obviously treating Erik more preferentially. From that moment onwards, he did his best to keep that in check, not wanting to hurt his friends or their feelings. As he grew into his role as the Luminary, his kindness began to extend to everyone.

“Well, you’re the world’s hero, you’re supposed to be the example of kindness and chivalry, right? I guess I just let myself think that your praise meant less when you were just so wonderful to everyone. Like I wasn’t special.” Erik pause, rubbing his hands on his face with a groan. “And now that I say it out loud, I can actually hear how whiny I must sound right now. Gods above, please just forget this entire conversation.”

Elian moved forward, pulling Erik’s hands away gently, holding onto his wrists. “Erik, you’re the most important person to me. Other than my mum, obviously. And Rab’s my grandad so, y’know? And Jade is like my sister, she’d probably kick me if I didn’t mention her.” He stopped himself, sighing. Erik couldn’t help but snicker a little at his words, causing a warm smile to grace Elian’s face. They had both been rambling like lunatics, and it was getting them nowhere. “I do my best to make people feel good about themselves, if that means praising them, being kind to them, whatever it takes. Everyone deserves to feel proud of themselves.” He reiterated, and Erik started to nod.

“I know.” He murmured.

“I’m not done.” Elian tutted, keeping a grip on the rogue’s wrists. “But that doesn’t, in any way, diminish how proud I am of you, and how wonderful I think you are. I’m not the only hero this world has Erik. Yggdrasil chose me, but you chose to stand at my side. You’re my hero.” Elian definitely realized how cheesy his little speech was, almost unbearably so, but he didn’t care. Erik deserved to know how much he meant to him. There was something hard to read in Erik’s eyes, as if he were about to cry.

It certainly surprised him when Erik moved forward, kissing him. His eyes widened in shock as he felt Erik press against him. His cheeks went dark, and he had to wonder, was he dreaming? Ever since the drunken kiss that he could barely remember, almost two weeks ago, a scenario like this plagued his imagination and his dreams. The rogue pulled back, and Elian almost complained. “I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have done that.” Erik said quickly, cheeks rosy pink, his lips glistening with spit from their brief kiss.

“Don’t be.” Elian grabbed him by the collar, tugging him back in as his lips met Erik’s, a little more vigorously this time as his eyes slid shut, revelling in the supple feeling of his best friend kissing him, his soft lips pressing against his own. Erik made a squeak of protest, before it was replaced by a soft grunt. He felt the rogue’s hands slip around his shoulders, accepting the kiss.

Elian’s heart soared, currently threatening to pound its way out of his chest as he instinctively slid his hands down the rogue’s chest, now looping around his waist to pull him close as they made out. He was vaguely aware of Erik’s hands in his hair as he pressed the blue haired thief up against the doorframe, a quiet moan pressing into his lips.

The front door slammed open, almost coming off its hinges as Mia caught her breath. "Erik! Elian! You’ve gotta come see this!” Her eyes settled on the pair as they quickly tried to disentangle themselves from each other. She covered her mouth, either to hide her shock or her laughter. “Uh, should I come back later?” She asked, causing Erik to glower at her.

“Shut it.” He mumbled, voice an octave too high as he started to clear his throat. Even Elian struggled not to laugh at that, looking away from the rogue to Mia.

“What’s going on? You said we have to see something?” Elian asked, subtly fixing his hair. Mia had a look on her face that said she wanted to laugh, and then laugh some more until she eventually passed out. Then she’d probably wake up to laugh even more. She managed to contain her amusement, nodding.

“Out at the docks, apparently people saw some huge shadow moving about, out in the ocean.” She explained. Elian’s stomach dropped at her words, and he could feel Erik’s eyes on him. “Apparently a ship sailed right over it, and it seemed to swim away. I dunno, but we might be able to see it if we’re quick!” She gestured for them to follow, and Elian’s legs worked for him, following behind her as she made her way out of the house. Erik kept up pace, moving beside Erik.

“You alright?” He asked quietly as he jogged alongside the Luminary.

“I hope so.” Elian said softly. His worry and fear pooled in his gut like molten lava, searing his every nerve and keeping him on a razor’s edge. He had seen something eerily similar to what Mia was describing back in Puerto Valor, and now it was apparently outside of Sniflheim.

“So, how come you get a boyfriend and I’m not allowed to have one?” Mia quizzed teasingly.

“Shut up.” Erik reiterated, giving her a less than amused look as they passed the gates, heading over to the dock. Sure enough, a great shadow seemed to lurk far from the shore, deep under the ocean. They managed to catch sight of it for a few moments before it began swimming away towards the uncharted waters west of Sniflheim. The crowd seemed confused, a fearful hubbub rippling through the people there, for good reason after all. The shadow was a similar size to a Tentacular, maybe even bigger. As the creature disappeared, the crowd began to diminish, still whispering among themselves as they filtered back into the city.

“So? You guys have saved the world before, what the hell was that thing?” Mia asked, turning to face her brother and the Luminary.

“I don’t know.” Elian admitted, voice unsteady as his eyes gazed out at the ocean.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hnng, tension released. Are we going to have them talk about their feelings and come together? Don't be silly, that's still chapters away. Now that the big bad is showing up some more, we're shifting into high gear, no time for squishy emotions! Thanks for reading and I hope everyone's still enjoying! c:


	10. The Blizzard

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've hit a streak with writing this fic so I'm gonna milk it until I slow down again! Also some POV shifting in this chapter, just giving Erik some time solo for a while

It was almost maddening, how calm everything was. The creature from his vision was real, and it was out in the seas of Erdrea, yet everything had gone back to normal. After the crowd dispersed, Queen Frysabel was alerted to the sightings. Having the Luminary’s assurance that they weren’t imagining it, or overreacting, seemed to spur the queen to action, and sent word to Puerto Valor, advising that ships sail carefully and sail quickly when visiting Sniflheim. She also had Krystalinda unlock the Royal Library, something she had kept sealed until the world got back on its feet. Despite the defeat of Calasmos, it was still kept off limits to most due to the dangers of the tower, not only was it still curiously inhabited by monsters, there was a group of shady looking individuals investigating the tower during the time Calasmos had descended on the world.

Queen Frysabel had planned to send a contingent of soldiers off to the Royal Library, accompanying a group of scholars to begin research on the sighting by sunup. Elian had instead offered to go straight there and begin researching before anyone could get a word in edgewise. After a brief discussion, the queen assented, and the key was relinquished to the Luminary. Frysabel was delighted to have him offer his help so willingly, knowing that he’d managed to save Sniflheim twice, and the world as a whole.

Elian could feel eyes on him as he offered. Erik’s. Sapphire flame burned against his skin as he turned on his heel, marching off out of the throne room. Steps followed in his wake. Erik’s. He braced, before turning to look at the rogue. It felt awful, to force himself to ignore the kiss they shared, and instead focus on what was necessary. He wanted nothing more than to kiss him again, to just forget it all, but he had a duty to uphold. Of course they’d find a threat when they’d had eight months to confront their feelings. Typical.

“I have to do this, you know that.” Elian said softly, expecting argument.

“I wasn’t gonna stop you partner, just… Be careful, okay? I’m gonna stay here for now, maybe make some rounds, see if anyone saw anything more concrete. I’ll also get some letters sent out, see if I can get word to the others. I won’t tell them to panic just yet, just to be ready.” Erik explained, approaching the Luminary. Elian watched, nodding a little as he felt Erik’s hands cup his cheeks. Said cheeks darkened as he stared, blue clashing on blue as he found himself lost for words. “Don’t die. I’ll be pissed if you do.” And then the contact was gone, Erik’s figure slipping past him, like a thief who’d just fleeced a target, sauntering off down the corridor. His face felt cool, as if Erik’s hands had been the only source of heat in the castle. He watched him go, almost despondent until he managed to focus himself back to the task at hand.

Possible world ending threat in the form of a colossal sea creature. Slightly more important than trailing after Erik like a lost puppy. He started to move, his feet taking him where he needed to go while his mind was preoccupied. Imminent danger, and the shock of blue that threatened to consume his thoughts instead.

_~_

“Erik? Is that you?” Mia’s voice came shouting down from the small landing overlooking the living room. The rogue rolled his eyes, glancing up.

“You could literally just look; it isn’t that difficult.” He responded as he made his way over to the desk sat underneath one of the windows in the living room. He heard shuffling, before Mia came thundering down the stairs, stopping at the foot of the stairs, peering around it to catch sight of him.

“How’d it go with the queen?” She asked, eager to hear all about it.

“Fine, Elian’s gonna head to the Royal Library and look into whatever that thing was, hopefully they have a definitive answer in those tomes.” He murmured, picking out four pieces of parchment. One for Jade, and by extension, Rab and Hendrik, one for Sylvando wherever he may be at the moment, and two separate letters for Veronica and Serena, in case Serena had already returned to Arboria.

“You didn’t go with him?” She hummed inquisitively, and when he looked over at her, he could’ve sworn he saw a suggestive hint, a grin starting to form.

“Why? So we could keep making out instead of getting anywhere with the research?” He asked, already knowing what she wanted to talk about. Her amused snort was proof enough that he’d hit the nail on the head. He picked up one of the many pencils from the small cup on the desk, starting to write out Jade’s titles on the top of the parchment. They were sticklers for accuracy when it came to sending letters after all.

“Wow, and here I thought you’d just deny it.” She said, heading over to the kitchen to grab herself a snack. “You’re usually more willing to try and weasel yourself out of a problem than admit to it.” She pointed out, and Erik couldn’t help but chuckle.

“I think even my silver tongue couldn’t get me out of that situation.” He shot back, starting to write out a letter to Jade, explaining what had occurred with Elian’s vision, and then the sighting of whatever the creature was, near Sniflheim.

“Yeah, it was too busy in Elian’s mouth, huh?” Mia joked, causing Erik to shoot her a withering look, before his lips split into an amused grin.

“I’ve got letters to write Mia, if you want to make fun of my choice in men, can you do it when I’m less busy?” He asked, focusing himself back on writing out the letter, doing his best to be eloquent, but it pretty much simmered down to ‘shit got weird, we’re looking into it, please be ready to come help if need be’, but he was never exactly one for correspondence.

“Okay okay, touchy much? I’ll leave you to it, but let me know if you need any help, okay?” Mia asked, approaching the door.

“Uh, actually, you could lend me a hand. I told Elian I’d do a sweep of the town and ask people what they managed to see. Might not be that handy, but if you could give me a hand with that, it’d be great.” He said, looking over at her.

“Usually I’d complain, but just this once, I’ll get straight to it. You owe me.” She said, a cheeky grin on her face as she disappeared out the door. He rolled his eyes a little and smiled, focusing back on his writing. Writing out each letter took him a fair time to actually complete. He quickly folded the parchment in half, tucking them into envelopes which he sealed with wax, setting the small stack of envelopes on the desk, leaning back in the chair. He let out a light sigh, rubbing his eyes. It was odd, he could spend all his time reading, but having to write, to put his time into constructing the words was much more exhausting.

His thoughts shifted to Elian, remembering their interaction earlier. Having his hands on the Luminary, and not charging in for another kiss, he wanted to pat himself on the back for having that much self-control. He really didn’t know what their relationship was anymore, Elian hadn’t initiated the kiss, but he was just as into it as Erik had been, if not more. They’d have to talk about it at some point, but for now, he just wanted to get through the day. With a mysterious sea monster straight out of a heroes vision, discussing his crush was on the back burner.

He pushed the chair back, climbing out of the seat with a yawn, running a hand through his hair. Truth be told, he’d hadn’t been sleeping so well lately. He wanted to chalk it up to not sharing a room with Elian. On their travels, they would often share rooms, or sleep under the stars wherever they could make camp, and he never seemed to struggle to sleep. Maybe it was his Luminary’s charm, but it was something that brought him comfort, having the other man nearby. He gathered up the letters, along with a small satchel of gold. It was much easier to get letters around the world with less danger in general, not counting the potential sea creature from hell, of course. He picked up the key to the house, closing the door behind himself as he jogged over to a nearby post-box. Admittedly, he’d never seen a postman in his time travelling, and he never quite knew how the letters reached other people. It was either magic, or a secret society of incredibly well networked postmen and women that travelled Erdrea delivering mail. It was odd that the second one was more likely, yet still sounded like the more bizarre.

He looked around, smiling up at the sky as he noticed the clouds hanging high above, dark grey, like a billowing blanket. Anywhere else, he’d assume the worst, but he knew Sniflheim was different. Steadily, the skies opened, snow coming down in slow waves, gentle at first, like a tender embrace, before they began to pour, a blizzard descending on the city. Erik did his best to get everything done that he needed to in town before the blizzard really set in, making his way back home.

He hung his hoody up after he’d shook as much of the snow as he could off of the fabric at the front door. Not long after he’d returned, Mia burst through the door, shivering as she shook the snow from herself, the flecks of water and snowflakes landing all over the carpet. He gave her a look before shaking his head, holding his arms out as she dumped her coat into his arms. “It is hell out there.” She said with a shaky huff, going straight to the fireplace, getting it started as soon as she could, setting some logs into the pit.

“Looks it, glad you got back in time. How’d it go out there?” He asked, kneeling next to her to help out, striking a match once she’d tossed some kindling into the pit.

“Lotsa people saw stuff, lotsa people claimed their version of events was true. Some guy even said he was _certain_ that it was a ‘pre-emptive attack on Sniflheim by the Vikings’.” She spoke out his words, slowly and mockingly before throwing her hands up in exasperation. “Whole place has gone nuts.” She said, shaking her head as she turned to Erik once she was sure the fire wouldn’t go out. “Anyway, the most I could get out of the non-insane people I talked to, they were sure they say red, like a flickering light deep beneath the shadow in the water. That’s literally the only help I could get.” Mia said, turning back to hold her hands out to the fire.

Erik mulled it over in his head, nodding as she spoke, even offering up a smile at her exasperation. Another reason they tended not to stay in Sniflheim, Mia usually got into scraps with the locals over random things, and it was much easier to just keep her travelling. “It’s fine Mia, you did good, it’s at least some information.” He said, shuffling over to the window. The snow was getting worse, and he could barely see that far ahead without having to really squint. There was a nervous hum in his chest, threatening to eek out as he gazed into the swirling snow.

“You’re worried about him?” Mia asked, looking over at her brother.

“Yeah.” He murmured, before turning on his heel, racing into the kitchen. After a few moments, he came back out, tucking some supplies into his pack before heading to the stairs.

“You’re not stupid enough to risk going out there, are you?” Mia asked incredulously as she stood, watching Erik bound his way up the stairs.

“The Royal Library hasn’t been opened in months, there’ll be no supplies, and probably no firewood!” He called down as he made his way into the bedroom, grabbing out his warmest clothes for braving the snow. After a few moments, he came out, dressed in much thicker pants, a thick snow coat, a small wool hat, satchel slung over his shoulder. “And he’s only been there a few hours, he could use the help. The queen’s sending a group of soldiers and scholars in the morning, so we’ll be fine.” He said as he jogged down the stairs. Mia’s face told him that she really didn’t believe him, and he wasn’t surprised all things considered. “I really will be fine.” He finished off.

“You better be, there’s some more firewood just outside the door, take that.” She said, to which he nodded, offering a small smile before heading out. He closed the door behind himself, slipping around the side of the house, stuffing a few logs of firewood into his satchel from the small wooden nook attached to the house. Once he was done, he made his way out of the city, using the horse hailing post to wrangle a horse, glad that the fine steed was still active in such horrific weather. He whipped the reins, spurring the beast onwards. He stumbled a little on the horses back, holding on tight as it made its way out into the Snaerfelt, a region famed for its frozen, impassable terrain.

This definitely wasn’t his best plan.

_~_

The cold was a constant, something he hoped he’d be used to. By the time he had gotten to the Royal Library, Elian had gotten a fair coating of snow, and by the time he’d gotten settled in at the library, it had gone from beautiful flakes of snow water, and his clothing was pretty much sodden. Thankfully, there was a little bit of firewood left in the central room of the Royal Library, so he stripped off his tunic, setting the wet article of clothing by the fire to dry out. His undershirt was thankfully not so wet, so he just pulled the chair closer to the fire to heat himself up once he had picked out a variety of books, focusing on a handful of bestiaries, some legends involving the sea, and simple historical tomes, anything that might have some kind of information on the mysterious beast beneath the waves.

And so, hours passed, and the flames dwindled. The door to the central room clattered as a sudden arctic breeze fluttered through. Elian shivered, getting to his feet, setting the current tome he was skimming through onto the desk. Using a small flurry of magic, what little he’d managed to learn from his adventures and from Veronica, he lit the candles around the room, before moving out onto the walkway. Below him on the library floor, the main entrance creaked open, allowing the infernal air to breeze through, making it even colder than it already was. The white of the snow cast a long light across the ground, causing the areas not touched by the minimal light to plunge further into nebulous darkness. He jogged his way down the stairs, moving over to close the door properly, catching sight of the blizzard raging outside. As he did so, the library was plunged into darkness. He held his hand up, the light of the Luminary’s mark glowing bright, giving him a better sight of his surroundings.

“Maybe leaving early wasn’t my best plan.” He murmured to himself, making his way over to the stairs, much more carefully now thanks to the dark. After scaling the stairs, he turned onto the walkway that led into the central room. The door was open, light pouring out. It made the figure in the doorway that much more visible. He blinked, and as he opened his eyes, the figure was gone. He swallowed down his nerves, reaching instinctively for the Sword of Light on his back, before realizing it wasn’t on his back. His breath quickened, gazing into the room. The sheath and blade sat against the fireplace by his tunic, untouched, out of reach. Elian steeled himself, lowering his glowing hand, ready to use his magic as he charged into the room.

He quickly looked around, eyes studying every inch of the room. There was nowhere to hide, and to his surprise, there was no one even attempting to hide. The room was as he left it, each book piled in exactly the same way they had been before he went downstairs. Somehow, that didn’t put him at ease. He swallowed, closing the door firmly behind himself, crossing the expanse to his sword. There _was_ someone, he was absolutely certain of it. He sighed a little and lifted the sword and sheath, moving it over to the table, within arm’s reach. He settled back into the seat, making sure to keep facing the door as he explored the tomes. He eventually managed to forget the strange figure, until the door started to rattle again, but this time it was the handle. Elian leapt to his feet, drawing his sword swiftly.

It had been so long since he’d truly needed to draw his blade for combat, but his hand moulded itself to the hilt, as if he were born to wield the blade that would defeat darkness. He watched carefully, holding the blade in a diagonal, ready to block whatever came through that door. After a moment, the door swung open, a figure stumbling in through, heavy hood obscuring their face. Elian raised the blade and charged, swinging in a downward arc. The stranger was faster than him, even in thick snow-protective clothing. A pair of daggers were procured from sheaths on their back, raised into a cross to catch Elian’s attack.

“Partner! It’s me!” Elian’s eyes widened as he stumbled back, grip faltering on his blade as he bumped into the table, panting softly. Erik yanked his hood down, staring at Elian in surprise as he quickly put his blades away. “What’s going on? Why so jumpy?” He asked as Elian caught his eyes. Elian could feel his own fear, palpable and clogging up his throat as he dropped the blade, breathing in and out slowly.

“Sorry Erik, I’m so sorry.” He whispered, looking up at the rogue. Based on how his features softened, Elian had to assume he was looking terrified. The rogue moved to his side, sitting on the edge of the table, wrapping an arm around Elian’s shoulders, comforting him as he recounted what had happened earlier.

“The queen mentioned some weird sightings around library, but that was a few months ago.” He murmured, frowning as he stood up from the desk. Elian almost complained at the lack of contact, but he’d calmed down enough that he could manage without Erik’s touch for now. Erik shrugged his satchel off his shoulders, pulling out the logs of lumber he’d taken, moving to dump them in the pit on top of the used-up kindling. It would do throughout the night if need be, that was for sure.

“Yeah, I remember. I just wasn’t expecting anyone here.” Elian explained as Erik nodded. He set the bag of food onto the table before shrugging off his heavy winter coat, his plain white shirt from earlier still clung to his chest, a little damp from the soaking he endured in the blizzard. He hung his coat up by Elian’s own tunic, moving to sit down on one of the chairs, patting the chair next to him. Elian, instead of going straight over, went and lit the fire. Then, like an obedient dog, Elian trotted over to sit next to him, looking over the collection of books in front of them.

“Other than that, how did this all go?” Erik asked, gesturing to the ridiculous number of books and tomes Elian had managed to trawl through.

“Could have been better, I’ll admit. Some mention something similar to what we saw, but nothing concrete, I’ll need to keep looking.” Elian said. Erik shook his head, reaching over to squeeze his arm.

“Partner, you’ve been at it for hours, take a break, I’ll get started on some of these.” The rogue told him, giving him a warm smile. “Just relax.”

“Got anything in mind?” Elian asked, gesturing around at the library walls. “Books are kinda the only thing here.” Erik’s gaze faltered as his cheeks went pink, looking away from Elian.

“Uh…” Erik managed.

“Wow, really?” Elian asked, barely hiding his amusement. As Erik looked back, ready to defend himself, Elian leant in, capturing his lips in a slow, soft kiss. Any fight in Erik faded away as he returned the kiss. After a moment or so, Elian pulled back, smiling a little.

“We should really talk about that.” Erik pointed out.

“Nope.” The Luminary said simply.

“Nope?” Erik asked.

Elian sighed a little, managing a smile. “We have so much we need to do, and its more important than this right now. I just… I don’t want to have that conversation with this thing looming over us. So how about a deal?” He asked. It seemed to pique Erik’s interest, he shuffled his chair around to face Elian better, tilting his head to the side.

“Go on.” Erik said, gesturing for him to continue.

“We’ll talk about it when we can, not when there’s so much on the line. But uh, we don’t have to _not_ kiss and stuff.” Elian said, finishing his proposal a little lamely in his own opinion. Erik’s snickers seemed to confirm his assumption.

“Huh, no strings attached? Naughty.” Erik teased before leaning in, threading his fingers through Elian’s hair with one hand, the other cupping his cheek as he delved into another kiss. He felt Elian’s hands against him, and then suddenly, with a strength he knew Elian possessed but had forgotten about, the man hefted him up into his lap like it was nothing. The kiss broke for a moment as Erik got settled, cheeks pink as he gazed down at Elian, mildly shocked. Elian, however, was exuding confidence right now, a small grin on his lips as he snaked his arms around the rogue’s waist, almost possessively.

No strings attached really wasn’t the right term to use.

“Deal.” Erik said, excitement evident in his voice as he leant in again, all the heat he needed coming from the man beneath him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The big bad is coming into focus! I'm toying with the idea of reuniting some of the cast for this big threat to see where it goes, but I want to keep the focus on El and Erik and their blossoming mess of a relationship, so please drop a comment and let me know what you're all thinking c: Thanks so much for all your support so far!


	11. Shouldn't we be Reading?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slightly shorter chapter today, for reasons!

“Erik…” Elian’s voice was shaky at best, the feeling of a rogue’s lips on his neck.

“Mhm?” Erik hummed against his skin, sucking a red mark against his neck eagerly, his deft hands slipping up the Luminary’s sides, seeming to be frustrated with the layers covering Elian’s body, even though he’d removed his thicker outer layer to let it dry.

“Slow down.” Elian said softly, leaning back against the chair, eyes blissfully shut as he bit into his bottom lip, his head tilted off to the right, letting Erik get as much contact as he wished. His actions absolutely contradicted his words.

Erik pulled back with a soft ‘pop’, grinning a little as he admired the red hickey blooming from Elian’s tanned skin like a rose. “Don’t be so damn kissable then, eh?” He suggested sarcastically as he reached down, grasping the waistband of Elian’s tee, tugging it up over his head. All Elian could do was attempt to protest, until the offending article of clothing was tossed aside.

“Relax, I’m not going anywhere.” The Luminary’s voice was amused, though there was a hint of worry and exhaustion from their lengthy make out session. Were they really going to fuck in a library? It just felt so wrong, what if he got cum on one of the books? Queen Frysabel would likely execute him, and he wouldn’t really have an objection, he’d kinda deserve it.

“Uh, partner?” Erik asked with an amused grin, noticing that Elian had started spacing out. “Seems like you definitely went somewhere.” He teased, hands slipping down to his sides once more, sliding down to grip at his hips gently, thumbs rubbing from skin to the waistband of Elian’s pants.

“Uh, sorry.” Elian said sheepishly, focusing himself back on the thief. He moved his hands along Erik’s arms, gently as he could, a small grin forming as he stopped at Erik’s chest, appreciating the fact that his shirt was open at the top, eyes dancing along his clavicle, following it to where Erik’s white shirt started hiding his body. “Your turn.” He hummed, letting go of him to grab at his shirt, helping him out of it eagerly. With Erik sat in his lap, it wasn’t the easiest thing to do, but he happily managed it, tossing it over where Erik had thrown his clothes. He took a moment to enjoy the sight of Erik's lightly muscular chest, ever so slightly tanned.

“No need to apologize, you manage to make vacant look kinda hot.” Erik joked as he rested a hand on Elian’s shoulder, brushing his thumb against the blossoming hickey. The gentle touch was enough to make Elian shiver, cheeks darkening to match the mark on his neck.

“You’re the worst.” His words weren’t in the least bit sincere as he moved in close, stealing a kiss from Erik, deciding to focus on that rather than get lost in his own thoughts again. If he stared at Erik’s chest any longer, he’d definitely end up overthinking. His arms snaked around the man’s waist, hands descending down to give Erik’s perky rear a quick squeeze, doing his best not to laugh as he felt the thief’s lithe form jump against him, an unapologetic moan pressing into the Luminary’s lips.

They broke apart for a moment to catch their breath, with Erik pressing up against Elian eagerly, arms looping around his neck as he kissed along his jaw, rolling his hips downwards. Elian let out a light gasp as he felt Erik’s very obvious complication, prodding against his abdomen. Erik adjusted his position, scooting his hips back so he was able to grind himself properly against Elian’s crotch. “I can feel that thing between your legs, doesn’t seem like you’re saying how you really feel.” Erik practically purred out his words and for a moment, Elian’s mind nearly broke. Gods above, they might have their first fuck in a library.

“Considering you almost jabbed me in the gut just now, you don’t really have a leg to stand on.” Elian pointed out, grinning as he moved his hands to Erik’s thighs, holding onto him as he stood, taking the thief with him. He felt Erik’s arms squeeze around his neck just a bit as he held on for dear life, then the peppering of Erik’s lips against his neck. It was hard to tell if the show of strength had turned him on, or he was so surprised at being lifted that he had to hide his face. He carried him to the table, setting him down on the edge before kneeling down.

“Hmm, you look good down there.” Erik murmured, his foot nudging against Elian’s abs, trailing down gently. The Luminary grasped his ankle, tugging his boot off with a roll of his eyes.

“Don’t you dare make a dumb joke.” Elian said, chuckling a little as he tugged the other boot off, setting them aside before gesturing to Erik to lift his hips. The rogue did so quickly as Elian tugged his pants down, leaving the blue haired man in just his underwear. Elian’s cheeks darkened further at the sight.

“Wasn’t gonna. You alright?” Erik hummed, a hand sliding down his own chest to brush against the bulge straining in his underwear. Elian’s mouth went dry as his eyes followed Erik’s hand, biting his bottom lip. “Ah, clearly you are.” He was almost lost in thought until he felt Erik’s foot nudging against his own bulge. “Focus.” Erik’s voice was vaguely authoritative, and it managed to send a shockwave through him. He quickly stood to undo the clasp on his pants, quickly stripping himself of the constricting pants before kneeling back down, spreading Erik’s legs apart.

“You got it.” He replied. Going by the look on Erik’s face, he liked where this was going. Elian shuffled forward, reaching up to grasp Erik’s underwear, tugging them down swiftly. The rogue’s cock sprung out almost immediately, a trail of glossy precum oozing out the tip. “Oh.” Elian said softly, staring in awe.

“Why so surprised? You’ve seen it before.” Erik pointed out, remembering the incident in Hotto. He reached down to brush a hand through Elian’s light brown hair, gazing down at him with hunger in his eyes.

“Yeah, but it wasn’t hard.” He mumbled, reaching up to wrap his hand around the base of the shaft, thumb pressing against the underside gently. He _knew_ Erik’s dick was impressive, he wasn’t likely to forget it after getting a full frontal back in Hotto, but he definitely wasn’t prepared to see just how nice it looked when it was hard. With his hand wrapped around the base, he’d need to wrap his other hand around the top to grasp it all. Butterflies would fill his stomach at the mere thought of what hung between Erik’s thighs, the fact that he was holding it was sending his stomach through the ringer.

“Yours isn’t exactly looking small in those boxers either.” Erik pointed out with a grin, lifting his right foot up onto the edge of the table so he could spread himself some more. His hefty balls hung down as Elian held the shaft in one hand, and the Luminary was mesmerised. The sight of Erik, naked as the day Yggdrasil made him, spread atop a table, the flickering flame of the fireplace illuminating behind him, it was enough to make him seriously think about making Erik his new place of worship.

“Aren’t you a romantic.” Elian said with a soft chuckle, grinning up at Erik. He swallowed down the nerves fluttering around inside of him as he leant forward, pressing a light kiss to the rogue’s sack, before his tongue flicked out, licking a few slow stripes upwards. It was hard to think straight, there was a light scent of sweat and something so intrinsically Erik, it was intoxicating. He thought the taste would be off-putting, if he was being honest, but he found it actually made him more eager to continue.

“Oh fuck.” Erik whispered under his breath as Elian began kissing upwards past where his hand was gripping, moving up the shaft with slow kisses until he reached the head of Erik’s cock, glistening with precum.

“Enjoying yourself?” There was something so purposefully playful in his voice that he barely recognized himself. Erik seemed to like it, going by the fact that he started throbbing as Elian asked him, their eyes locking for a moment. Erik broke the eye contact first, glancing aside as he blushed, clearing his throat before looking back at Elian.

“I’ve dreamt about seeing you like this. It’s uh, all a bit much.” Erik admitted sheepishly, the hand in Elian’s hair drifting down to cup his cheek, rubbing his thumb against the cheekbone. Elian’s smile widened as he kneeled up a little.

“Me too.” Was all he said as he swiftly wrapped his lips around the head of Erik’s cock, a soft moan escaping, vibrating around the tip as he sucked on him, his hand starting to stroke up and down the base of the shaft. The taste of precum was surprising, he had expected it to taste much worse, all things considering. Other than being a little odd texture-wise, he was sure he could get used to it. His eyes drifted down to Erik’s sapphire pubes, remembering their humorous exchange back in the baths as he closed his eyes, focusing on the rogue’s pleasure.

“Fuck, partner, slow down.” He groaned out, though Elian just ignored him. He kept the strokes slow, but he did his best to work his mouth faster, tongue rubbing along the underside of the shaft as his lips moved up and down, the hot flesh between his lips gliding deeper into his mouth as he took more of it in. It wasn’t his first time doing something like this, but it was certainly his first time with someone as big as Erik, so he’d keep it slow this time, no fancy tricks. Not that he really had any fancy tricks, but still, it was the thought that counts.

He pulled off for a moment, panting as he pumped Erik a little faster, smiling up at him with some precum smeared against his lips. “Sorry, I can’t help it.” Elian said, cheeks still rosy and red as he gazed up at his friend. Well, maybe lover was a better term now. Or something in between? He ignored the bubbling thought, instead pressing some kisses against the head, his tongue flicking out to brush against the slit, eliciting a groan from his companion.

“Well don’t blame me if I bust early, you’re doing amazing.” He praised. He felt Erik’s hand move back into his hair, guiding him closer. He was more than happy to oblige, swallowing down about a quarter of the shaft in one go. The rumbling moan escaping Erik was proof he’d done a good job. He started to work his way down until his lips reached his hand, halfway down the shaft. His eyes fluttered closed, his jaw aching a little at the exertion of taking so much into his mouth at once. _‘Practice makes perfect.’_ He thought to himself as he started to bob his head up and down on Erik’s cock, following the rhythm with his hand, effectively pumping the rogue. Without much warning, other than Erik’s growing moans of delight, hot streams of what he assumed was cum shot down his throat.

Elian had to pull off, coughing a little at the surprise. “Warning please!” He managed around his spluttering as Erik’s face grew hot. He couldn’t tell if it was embarrassment at the predicament, or shame that he hadn’t lasted as long as he wanted.

“Fuck, sorry!” Erik groaned, panting for breath as he let go of Elian’s hair, reaching down to grab the Luminary’s arms, hefting him up. “You okay? It didn’t taste bad, right?” Erik asked, worry evident in his voice.

Elian had to laugh softly, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. He nodded a little as he was helped up off his knees. The straining bulge in his underwear, the tip damp with precum was likely a good enough answer. “I’m fine Erik, don’t worry.” He assured, grinning a little. “And no, I was surprised, I thought it might.” He admitted sheepishly. Erik’s worry dissolved into false offense as he smacked Elian’s arm.

“Hey! What’s that supposed to mean?” He almost whined, a thing that melted Elian’s heart just a bit.

“Well I’ve just heard that eating healthy makes it taste good, and, y’know…” He teased, a wicked grin crossing his lips as he leant in, stealing a kiss from Erik. The rogue groaned against his lips, returning the kiss slowly, pulling Elian closer. They broke the kiss after a few moments, soft pants escaping them, warm breath mingling. “So, how do you rate it?” Elian joked, earning another teasing smack.

“Fine, because I eat healthy!” He huffed, though he was clearly doing his best not to laugh. “If you think a phenomenal blowjob is all it takes to get you off the hook, uh… Well, actually yeah, it kinda is.” He said, grinning as he reached down between them, grasping Elian through his underwear.

Elian wasn’t really expecting it, a moan escaping as Erik tugged the waistband back, peering down. The rogue let out a low whistle, eyes filling with a similar hunger he had in Elian’s dream, which caused the Luminary to shiver. Just remembering the lewd dreams caused him to throb while Erik gazed down at his manhood. “Quit just staring.” Elian murmured softly, cheeks pink as he tried to look anywhere but Erik.

“Sorry _big_ guy.” Erik hummed, causing Elian to groan, covering his face with both hands at the awful teasing. He felt his underwear drag down slowly, before a hand found its way to one of his ass cheeks, the other dextrous hand settling around his shaft. He shuddered, resting his forehead down against Erik’s shoulder.

“Shut up.” He complained before a moan left his lips, feeling Erik begin to stroke him quickly. Erik’s spare hand started to massage at his plump ass, even giving him a gentle smack as he upped the pace of his strokes.

“If that’s what you want, I’ll just be a good boy and concentrate.” The words were whispered into his ear, almost silenced by Elian’s own moans. “Getting to handle the mighty cock of Erdrea’s saviour is enough for me.” Erik’s shit-eating grin was audible, and Elian was half tempted to smack the rogue.

“Erik, I swear to Yggdrasil…” He warned, though he was holding back the temptation to laugh too.

“Whatcha gonna do? Shut me up if you can.” The challenge was laden with innuendo as Elian pulled back from his rested position, locking eyes with the man. Erik’s eyes were alight with lust, he could have felt the man’s gaze on him while he’d been stroking him, and the fact that he was challenging him so fragrantly, it was enough to drive Elian to the brink.

“You asked for it.” Elian pushed him back onto the table, swiping the books out of the way. He stepped out of the underwear that had slid down to his ankles, climbing on top of Erik. He settled on Erik’s chest, his cock just above the rogue’s face, a drip of precum oozing out the tip, which Erik, much to his surprise, opened his mouth to catch, grinning up at him. That damn smile.

“You bet I did.” The rogue almost growled out his words, lust emanating off of him. Elian adjusted his position, getting onto his knees, having them either side of Erik’s head, his cock manhood pointing directly down towards Erik. Eagerly, Erik reached up to grab Elian’s hips, easing him down, mouth open as he accepted Elian’s cock. Compared to his companion, Elian wasn’t quite as long, but made up for it in girth, something that didn’t seem to faze Erik as he swallowed him down, hands sliding around to grope and squeeze at Elian’s plump arse some more.

Elian rested his arms down against the table, slowly lowering himself down as Erik managed to take more and more of him inside. If this table broke, Elian likely would never live it down. He started to rock his hips, moans growing louder as he thrust, fucking Erik’s mouth as his rear was groped and fondled, Erik’s hands doing wonders for drawing him closer to oblivion.

“Can’t hold on much longer.” Elian groaned, his thrusts speeding up as he bit into his arm to avoid crying out in delight. Erik responded with a swift slap, a pleasurable sting erupting through his body. His toes curled, muffled cries of excitement against his arm as he shot his load. At least he warned the other man. He was so tempted to just slump over, exhausted, but he knew that would lead to him squashing Erik’s head against the table, and considering how far his dick was shoved into his mouth, it’d just be rude. He carefully pulled out, hopping off the table to avoid it breaking.

“Well.” Erik managed, cough a little as he ran a hand through his hair. “I like the way you shut me up, that’s for sure.” Erik teased, grinning a little as he slid off the table, landing on his feet.

Elian wiped some sweat from his brow, looking over at his companion with a grin. Seeing Erik, stood with his hands on his hips, cock half hard and slowly softening, as casual as could be, caused his lips to form into a soft smile. ”You look nice.” Elian spoke without thinking, smiling more as Erik looked over at him.

“Looking pretty damn good yourself.” Erik praised, and despite the suggestiveness in his voice, his face had softened, eyes focused on Elian’s face.

Elian shuffled over to his discarded clothing, starting to get dressed as Erik did the same. It was difficult to think of something to say after something like that, so their time getting dressed and coming down from their respective highs was spent mostly in silence, occasional words passing between them as they got rid of any evidence of their tryst in the library.

Elian got the chairs back in place while Erik pushed the books back towards the centre of the table, working with him to figure out which books had already been read. After taking a while to split the books between read and unread, Erik and Elian hunkered down, managing to get back to work after clearing their heads. Elian was certain that getting that out of his system really did help, and managed to get his mind off of the strange figure he was sure he had seen in the library only an hour or so ago.

After nearly half an hour trawling through Elian’s unread pile of tomes, the brunette bolted upright, holding onto a book recounting ancient legends that had been all but lost to time. “Erik! I think I’ve found something.” He said, voice a little frantic as he laid the book down on the table. Illustrated on the page on the left, with a cursive retelling of the myth on the right page. The illustration seemed to be some kind of jellyfish type creature, with a pitch-black body.

“Levia Thanato, ‘death of the sea’.” Erik read aloud, studying the page for a moment before looking up at Elian. “That doesn’t sound great.” The rogue murmured.

“Agreed.” Elian said, eyes falling from Erik’s face to the page, silence falling over the pair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp, that's my first proper smutty chapter written! A bit nerve wracking but it was fun to write so, hopefully everyone enjoys and my descriptions weren't too difficult to read or repetitive lmao thanks for all the kind comments and the kudos, it's all been great so far!


	12. Formulating a Plan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That took a little longer than intended! Life got a little bit busy, but I'm back to my hopefully regularly scheduled programming!

He hadn’t realized, but during their time reading, his hand had found its’ way into Erik’s. After reading into what they assumed was the threat they had seen out in Sniflheim’s bay, they began to read through any tome that had explicit reference to ‘Levia Thanato’. Elian had never heard of the creature before, and after skimming through the tale of the former Luminary, Erdwin, he was no closer to understanding the creature. It can’t have been a monster that Erdwin had faced, like Calasmos, it would have definitely been recorded in one of the tomes that covered Erdwin’s tale.

Elian went to turn the page of the bestiary he was currently looking at, when he realized that his fingers were currently entwined with Erik’s. Said rogue looked across, before laughing a little, a rumbling sound of embarrassment as he sat up. Elian felt Erik’s grip loosen, as he sat up in his chair too.

“Sorry, I don’t actually remember when I started holding your hand.” Erik admitted. He watched as Erik’s eyes washed over his face quickly before settling on their clasped hands. Erik pulled his hand up to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to one of Elian’s knuckles before letting go, turning back to the book he was reading, something based on Erdrea’s marine life.

Elian’s cheeks went pink at the simple gesture of affection. As his hand was released, he reached over to cup Erik’s jaw. He pulled, pointing his attention towards Elian as he moved to lean in, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. Unlike past kisses between the pair, there was no rush, no urgency in it. A gentle press of their lips, a slow and comfortable kiss that filled Elian’s stomach with butterflies. He pulled back, smiling a little as he shook his head. “Don’t be sorry. I liked it.” He murmured, looking back to his book for a moment. He could feel Erik’s eyes on him, and from his peripheral vision, he could see the rogue’s fingers brushing up against his own lips, as if he were shocked at the kiss.

“That almost sounded like talking about it.” Erik managed, a little grin forming on his lips as Elian looked over, giving him a sour look.

“Nowhere near.” Elian said with a soft huff, before Erik chuckled, nodding as he leaned over to press a soft kiss to his lips in return. It didn’t linger like their last kiss; it was brief but sweet. Erik didn’t seem bitter at all about the lack of discussion about their, well, love life, Elian supposed. The rogue focused back on his reading, skimming through passages, as it was Elian’s turn to have his eyes linger. He eventually refocused, eyes moving back to the pages. It had been two hours since Erik had arrived at the Royal Library and they’d grossly misused the table they were currently studying from.

Erik set his book down, about to speak, when his stomach grumbled, fairly loudly too. Elian looked across, suppressing an amused snicker as he covered his lips with his hand. Erik cleared his throat, closing the book with a barely repressed smile. “As my stomach was saying, it’s getting late and I’m hungry. The blizzard should have slowed down by now.” He said, nodding towards the door. “I sent some letters out to the others, they know something’s going on, and now we know what it is. That’s enough for today. You look exhausted.” Erik said, his words softening as he spoke the last sentence, worry laden in his voice.

“You’re right.” A soft sigh escaped as he closed the book. There were at least fifty books covering the table, some open, some closed, and even some on the spare chairs around the wooden surface. He quietly thanked Yggdrasil that the table was sturdy, a strange mixture of excitement and shame bubbling up in his gut at the memories. “Now that we at least know what it is, we can look into it. Maybe Queen Marina knows something?” Elian suggested, a hopeful smile growing on his lips as Erik nodded.

“If anyone’s gonna know about a big old jellyfish monster, it’d be the mermaid queen.” Erik agreed, hopping up out of his seat with a sigh, stretching his arms over his head. “Geez, sitting in a chair for hours really does a number on your back.” He groaned, rubbing at his lower back with both hands.

Elian’s eyes followed Erik’s hands. Cheeking going pink as he continued further south. He quickly looked away, rolling his eyes at his own inability to control himself when Erik was involved. “Yeah, I’m not looking forward to this.” With a groan of discomfort, Elian surged to his feet, grunting a little as his legs protested. “There it is.” He mumbled, rubbing at his aching legs. Traveling by foot actually felt preferable to being stuck in a chair all day.

“Need me to carry you, Mr Hero?” Erik asked, a teasing grin plastered over his face as he moved to Elian. He responded in kind by dismissively waving his hand, shooing away the rogue.

“You can get started on putting these books away.” Elian said, smiling a little as he gathered up a pile of books. With a bundle of closed books cradled in his arms, Elian got started on the laborious job of putting each book back in its proper place. Erik began with the books he had taken out himself, at least managing to remember where they had come from. After a few minutes, they had successfully made the comfortable library room look presentable again, and with a towel Erik had packed in his satchel, and the smart idea of cracking the door open to let the cool air in, there was virtually no evidence of their earlier tryst.

“Job done.” Erik said proudly, in the midst of putting his heavy-set jacket back on, tugging the hood up over his head, slinging the satchel over his shoulder. “You ready to go?” He asked, glancing around the room. Elian followed his eyes, smiling a little. He remembered the first time they had all come to the Royal Library, he’d always meant to come back, sit by the fire and just read. Not frantically search for any information that he could find on some sort of eldritch being from beneath the ocean, while his best friend/potential lover came to interrupt with actions definitely not allowed in a library.

“Yeah, I’m ready.” Elian said, taking in the warm colours of the royal décor, and the actual warmth of the blazing fire. He turned to Erik, nodding a little as he shuffled over to the door. “We should get moving before the blizzard comes back.” He said, heading out into the dark library. Thankfully, now that the blizzard had relaxed, the evening sunlight was managing to break through the gloom, making the library feel much less ominous. The pair made their way out into the snow, which Elian noticed was at least a few inches deeper than when he had made his way through a few hours prior. It was odd to think that so much had happened today, starting with their breakfast and misunderstanding, leading to this. It was enough to make the poor Luminary’s head spin. They trudged around the side of the Royal Library to the stables that had been built since their last visit. Elian lifted the heavy wooden bar that kept the doors closed, setting it aside before opening them up. He sighed in relief, the small magically lit heaters on either side of the stables had kept their horses nice and toasty. The pair of animals seemed more than content to just stay there, rather than be led out into the cold.

Once they’d wrangled the pair of horses and got them out into the snow, they quickly mounted up and took off back towards Sniflheim. In no time at all, they’d managed to reach the city, the sun gracing the horizon, causing the orange glow to stretch out longer, glistening across the ocean. Once they’d arrived back in town and made sure that the horses were properly put away, Elian and Erik went back to Erik’s little cottage inside the city walls. Elian was relieved to be back in from the cold, undoing the strap of his scabbard, setting it down on the couch before taking his time with the buttons on his tunic, absentmindedly kicking his shoes off, nudging them into the corner once he’d done so.

“Hey Mia, we’re back!” Erik announced, setting his satchel down before following Elian’s lead, getting rid of his snow jacket, hanging it up on the coat rack by the door. Elian wandered into the kitchen to get himself a drink as Mia appeared at the balcony, leaning over to peer down at her brother.

“Hey, you didn’t die! Good work.” She joked, smiling down at her brother. “How’d everything go?” She asked.

Elian heard the pause, before Erik got back into the conversation.

“Not too bad, we’ve got a starting point, so we’re going to get started with finding a way to stop it.” He explained. It was technically the truth, but Elian was at a loss as to what they could do other than bring it to Queen Marina in Nautica. Even if she had a solution, he was still worried. Elian was struggling to hear Mia properly, so he quickly filled his glass, making his way back to the living room.

“Your hair is a mess, please don’t tell me you two were being nasty in the library?” Mia asked, snickering at the mere idea of her brother doing something like that. Elian, due to being unable to hear Mia clearly, only heard ‘being nasty in the library.’ He stopped by Erik’s side, face indignant as he took a sip.

“We wouldn’t go that far in a library, we’re not animals. We just did… Other stuff.” Elian said, awkward to admit it. Mia’s eyes widened as she stared at the pair. Erik buried his face in his hands, and he could’ve sworn that he heard a quiet prayer being muttered. It was as if time came to a standstill as he realized that no, Mia wasn’t expressing her shock at their exploits, she had been asking her brother in a joking manner. “Oh.” Was all he managed as he set the glass down, hearing Mia burst out laughing.

“Well, we’re not living this down.” Erik said, barely managing to hide the amusement in his voice. How had he managed to accidentally admit something embarrassing to Mia, _twice_?

“I… Am gonna go have a bath.” Elian said, feeling the flush of his face without having to take a look in a mirror. He trudged up the stairs, passing Mia, who was currently doubled over, not even trying to contain her laughter.

“Mia, stop being a dick.” Erik called up to her, shaking his head.

“Don’t worry, I definitely deserve it.” Elian said, chuckling a little as he stopped at the bathroom door. “I just know that from now on, I don’t say anything to Mia.” He joked, retreating behind the door of the bathroom, closing the door behind himself, not bothering to lock it since everyone knew he was in the bath, and he’d be submerged in the tub anyway. Elian sighed, running a hand through his hair. Saving the world? No problem. Navigating a conversation without embarrassing himself? Little bit of a problem. He turned the tap, watching as the hot water flooded out, filling the bathtub steadily. Once it was about three quarters of the way full, he turned the other tap, putting in some colder water to even it out, keeping the water steaming hot while hopefully not scalding himself. He picked up one of the many bottles Erik kept in the bathroom, pouring some of the concoction into the water, watching as pale bubbles foamed up in the water, the scent of some sort of citrus fruit filling the bathroom.

He went about the business of removing his layers, thankful that the houses in Sniflheim were built for the snow, and even the chilly bathroom was leagues warmer thanks to the steaming bath at its centre. He hung his clothes up on the rack by the wall, folding his underwear and socks and setting them on top of the rack. He approached the bath and carefully slid himself down into the water. It was incredible how quickly he relaxed, any earlier tension melting away. He tucked his arms under the water, laying back as the water covered him, his face being the only part of him not submerged. He let out a dreamy sigh, allowing himself to just lay there for a few moments. It was the first time the entire day that he was actually relaxed, he didn’t realize how much he’d come to appreciate the peace on Erdrea.

The threat that Levia Thanato could pose had sent him into a mild panic once they reached Queen Frysabel to explain the situation, and it was only now that he was realizing it. He carefully sat up, making sure that the water didn’t splash as he breathed in slowly, gazing over that window on the opposite side of the room. Mordegon’s rise led to so much suffering, it claimed so many lives. Images of Veronica flashed through his head, of Hendrik cradling Jasper in his arms. Tears prickled at the corners of his eyes, thin streams falling down his cheeks, mixing with the bubbles that clung to his skin. They had all pledged to take up the mantle of heroes once again if the world was in danger, but deep down, Elian truly wished that it wouldn’t happen again, that they’d be lucky enough to live out their lives peacefully. It was a foolish wish, but it was one he clung to desperately. To put the people he cared for in danger made his stomach lurch, even if they would never let him fight alone.

The door creaked open just a sliver, spiky blue hair poking around the edge, preceding Erik’s face as he peeked in. “Not perving, I swear. I just wanted to put your clothes on to wash. Can I…?” He drifted off as they locked eyes. He frowned, shuffling into the bathroom, closing the door behind himself. “El? What’s wrong?” He asked, walking over to the tub, crouching down beside it.

“I’m fine.” He murmured, rinsing his hands of the bubbles before he wiped at his cheeks, attempting a smile. “I just thought we could be done with being in danger.” He admitted, voice soft as he followed Erik with his eyes. The rogue leaned over, seeming to not care about drenching himself as he wrapped his arms around Elian’s shoulders.

“I know. It’s not easy, but its what we have to do.” Erik said. Elian nodded, pressing his face into the crook of Erik’s neck, sniffling a little as just let himself be held. Erik leant back a little, arms still looped around Elian’s shoulders as he rested his forehead on Elian’s. The smile on the Luminary’s face was much easier this time as he leaned forward a little, pressing their lips together in a soft kiss. It was becoming intoxicating, being able to kiss the rogue whenever he wanted. He closed his eyes, cupping his friend’s cheek with a soft sigh of comfort.

He could feel Erik’s smile against his lips, pulling him a little closer to the edge of the bath. He didn’t mind the cold feeling of the bath against his skin as they kissed, comfortable in their intimacy. He slowly pulled away, cheeks rosy pink as he smiled. “Laundry?” He asked.

“Huh?” Erik asked, rather blankly as he pouted, clearly not a fan of their lack of contact. “Oh, that. Yeah yeah, fine.” He leaned back in, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek. “Don’t be too long okay? I’m gonna get some stew going downstairs, then I want a turn, I stink.” He said, chuckling as he stood, shuffling over to pick up Elian’s clothes, keeping them folded and neat.

“Ooh, stew. Thanks househusband.” Elian hummed out, a teasing smile on his face as he relaxed into the bath. “I’ll be out in a few minutes. Could you grab me out some clothes from my pack?” He asked nicely.

“You haven’t even proposed yet, don’t get cheeky.” Erik said with an amused laugh, heading to the door. “Yeah, will do. What would you do without me?” He asked, closing the door over.

“I really don’t know.” Elian said softly as he watched Erik go. He breathed in through his nose, letting out a slow breath before focusing himself back on the bath at hand. He started to scrub himself down with the sponge left by the bath, making sure to get himself properly clean. From downstairs, he could hear the clattering of cutlery in the sink, then the door opening, Mia’s voice announcing that she was off out, and thanking Erik for dinner. He smiled a little and shook his head, standing up out of the bath, bending to scrub at his legs before setting the sponge aside, stepping out of the bath with as much grace as he could manage, picking up the towel left near the bath. Once he was wrapped up nice and warm, the towel secure around his waist, he made his way downstairs.

“Ah there you are. Mia’s off out with Marek and Celia.” Erik told the other man, stood by the stove, stirring a spoon through a big pan. “Didn’t even wait for the stew to be done, she just had a snack.” He said, huffing to himself before turning to look at Elian, grinning a little at the sight he was met with.

“Hey, you managed to say Marek’s name without sounding disgusted. You’re growing.” Elian teased, shuffling over to his pack, noting that Erik had picked out his clothes like asked.

“He’s not a bad kid, you were right, I was just feeling a little overprotective.” Erik admitted, adding a pinch of salt to the stew as he stirred.

Elian moved the shirt off the top of his pack, catching sight of Erik’s skimpy shorts he wore at the beach in with his chosen outfit. He picked them up, raising an eyebrow. “Are you attempting to be subtle or…?” Elian asked, chuckling as he set them aside, digging through his pack for his own underwear.

“Can’t say you wouldn’t look good in them.” Erik said, a lazy grin on his lips as he continued to tend to their meal.

“Maybe one day I’ll buy my own. I think yours would be a little tight on me.” He teased, knowing that Erik was much lither than he was, his frame a bit slighter than his own.

“You say that like it’s a bad thing. It’d certainly highlight some of those curves.” Erik said with a teasing smirk, though he quickly went quiet as Elian dropped his towel. Elian turned his back to his partner, hiding his amused grin as he bent down, picking up the underwear he’d chosen out. This was of course, just inviting trouble, Erik wasn’t one to just ignore urges, but being so brazen around the poor rogue was pretty exciting, plus he felt it was only right to tease him after all that had gone on recently. He slowly slid the underwear up his legs, until they were secured around his waist. He looked over his shoulder, offering up an innocent smile.

“What did you say about curves?” He asked, giving his hips a gentle shake. Erik’s already red face bloomed darker at the sight.

“I hate you.” The rogue groaned, turning back to the pan.

“No, you don’t. That thing between your legs says enough on that.” Elian said before getting back to properly getting dressed. The rogue glanced down, groaning at the sight of an obvious bulge poking out in his apron. He quickly tucked his hand under the apron, slipping into his pants to adjust himself before going to wash his hands.

“I’m gonna get you back for that, I swear.” He huffed, clearing his throat as he refocused himself, adding a dash of pepper before some fresh thyme and rosemary were added to the stew.

“Heh, okay I’d definitely deserve it.” Elian padded his way over to the kitchen, leaning over to press a kiss to Erik’s cheek. “I’m sorry, you’re just so hard to resist.” He teased in a singsong voice. Erik responded by picking up a small hand towel, whacking the Luminary on the side with it.

“Behave, or no stew.” He said, shaking his head as he pushed a pan of potatoes onto the second ring on their stove, bringing them to the boil.

“So cruel.” Elian said, picking out a pair of plates, setting them on the table. “You told Mia about our plan to go to Nautica, right?” Elian asked, sitting down at the table, doing up a button on his shirt that he realized had been left undone.

“Yup, and I told her she’s staying put. We’ll see what the others say when they send replies to the letters I sent and go from there. Is that okay?” Erik asked. Elian was glad that Erik wanted to keep them on the same page, and that plan sounded like the best idea. Elian had rushed off without much of a plan earlier today, and he knew it wasn’t his best idea, but he couldn’t help himself. Having Erik on side and working through their plan was a much better feeling.

“That sounds like a good plan. We know as much as we’re going to know right now, so once we’ve heard from the others, we can head to Nautica.” He said, leaning his elbows down on the table, resting his chin in his hands, watching Erik. Seeing him cook felt like a privilege, he moved around the kitchen similarly to a battlefield, with grace and speed, and a sense of confidence that Elian couldn’t deny, was very attractive. He smiled as Erik turned to look at him, nodding.

“Great. For now, we can just take it slow and get this food eaten, eh?” He suggested, grinning as gathered up some cutlery.

They weren’t talking about their feelings yet, it was Elian who proposed that rule, but he found himself unsure if he’d need to talk that extensively. He really was falling for the man, it was impossible to deny.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're getting the band back together! Well, maybe, we'll have to wait and see c: Kudos and comments are welcome, and thank you all for continuing to support the fic!


	13. A Step Forward

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was slightly longer than intended and continues the domestic theme for now because the next chapter is when the adventure really begins!

The next two days were near to torture for Elian. He knew that danger could be lurking off the coast of any city in Erdrea filled him with a jittery kind of anxiety, because until they heard back from the others, he could do nothing. He’d often look at the mark on his hand, the glowing sigil of the Luminary, and reflect on how powerless he was at the moment, despite the literal power imbued in him from a deity glowing on the back of his hand. Having Erik close helped to assuage his fears and anxieties to some extent, but it wasn’t enough, no matter how much he longed for it to be.

A day after their time in the Royal Library, Elian was contacted by Queen Frysabel. Elian almost had a heart attack when he was summoned to the court, quietly fearing that somehow, someone knew what he and Erik had done during their break, but thankfully, she simply wanted to thank him and discuss their options based on what was going on with Levia Thanato. Telling her that they had contacted their friends and were hoping to get more information on the creature seemed to help her worries. After Elian and Erik returned from the Royal Library, Frysabel’s scholars took up residence and began digging through every book they could find.

Frysabel had instructed her scholars to gather as much information by scouring their archives, and after a few hours, Erik’s comfortable little cottage was given a delivery of around thirty thick, hard backed tomes late at night. They were all copies, so Elian didn’t have to worry about taking resources from those that were likely going to get through it much faster than he was, but he could at least read through it while he waited.

Elian’s eyes cracked open, barely awake as sunlight started to filter in through the nearby window. Last night was spent surrounded by books, and by the various points digging into his sides, he had fallen asleep doing it. Then he realized that the weight on top of him wasn’t cold, it was warm, and as he opened his eyes a bit more, cyan blue obscured his vision. He remembered the night before crystal clear as he shook off the dust of sleep, a soft smile on his lips. Erik had been out most of the evening, buying supplies and spending some time in the tavern, to _gather information_ , as he had argued, before leaving Elian home alone with some leftover stew.

Erik arrived back home fairly quickly, noting that not many people were up for talking about another potential threat to the world, and even the inn proprietress didn’t have much information. As a thief, overhearing the goings on of people in inns and taverns often led to a good pay out, when someone drunk got a little too loud, a little too boisterous about their new job, their new windfall. With nothing else to do, Erik had gotten settled on the couch to help Elian scour the new pile of books.

Elian grunted softly as he shifted, another book jabbing into his side, and he was sure that at least three of the books were underneath him. Erik stirred, so Elian looped his arms up around the other man’s waist. “Sorry for waking you.” He said, leaning down to kiss the top of Erik’s head as he looked up at him, a sleepy smile on his face as he shook his head.

“Eh, don’t worry about it, I was starting to wake up anyway.” Erik said, his hands gently pressed against Elian’s chest as he pushed himself up into a sitting position, gazing down at Elian, before one eyebrow hooked up. “Is that a book between your legs or are you just happy to see me?” He quizzed, a dumb grin on his lips as Elian laughed, unable to hold back his giggles. Early morning Elian was much less composed.

“If I remember right, that would be ‘ _The Seafaring Culture of Lonalulu._ ’” Elian said with a snicker, stretching his arms up past his head, before resting his hands behind his head, gazing up at the thief with a lazy smile. “Volume two, I think.” Elian said. With some nimble hip movements, Erik managed to reach between them, procuring a hefty tome, chuckling.

“Huh, got it in one. Good memory.” Erik praised, setting it down off the side of the couch, before gathering up more of the books littering their makeshift bed, setting them in neat piles. After managing to pluck the books from under Elian with some awkward manoeuvring, Erik lay back down on top of the Luminary, able to relax properly now that Elian wasn’t being jabbed by multiple books.

“Told you I’m good with books.” Elian murmured as he snaked his arms back around the other man’s waist, pulling him in close as his face buried into the crook of Erik’s neck, a comfortable sigh escaping, warm breath fanning against the rogue’s skin, fingers lazily twiddling with the edges of Erik’s top.

“I’m gonna have to agree with you.” Erik said, smiling as he slowly kissed along his jaw, humming out a quiet tune as Elian brushed his hands up Erik’s back.

“What’s that?” Elain asked quietly, resting his hands on Erik’s shoulder blades as he held Erik against him, laying his head back to let Erik do as he wished.

“Hmm? Just an old tune I’d sing to Mia when we were younger. It’s always on my mind honestly, catchy as hell.” Erik said, lips brushing against Elian’s jaw as he spoke, his voice as gentle as his movements, still thick with sleep.

“It’s nice.” Elian said, pushing himself up into a sitting position, hands sliding to rest on Erik’s hips. The rogue pulled back from the Luminary’s jaw, smiling at him as he got comfortable in his lap. Elian could see Erik getting ready to speak, so he leaned in closer, pressing a slow kiss to Erik’s lips. He was either going to tease him, or say something dumb, so it was easier to interrupt.

After a few moments, Erik pulled away, chuckling a little. He was probably chuckling because Elian could feel a pout forming on his lips at the lack of contact. “You want some breakfast, pretty boy?” Erik grasped Elian’s face gently, squeezing his cheeks a little to squeeze his face in a humorous, scrunched up way.

“Mhm, yesh pleashe.” Elian managed, causing Erik to snicker, loosening his grip as he leaned back in, giving him a soft peck on the lips. He clambered out of Elian’s lap, tiptoeing animatedly around the various stacks of books to avoid knocking them over, before shuffling into the kitchen.

As Erik wandered off, Elian rose from the couch, neatening his hair as he picked up his discarded shirt, slipping it on. Even in winter, it was usually warm enough to sleep in next to nothing back in Cobblestone, and it was a hard habit to knock, even in Sniflheim where he was sure he was just a sleep away from catching a cold. Erik had offered at least three times to have them share a bed, and let Mia have the couch, but Elian was stalwart in being too polite to accept the offer, happy on the couch.

While deep in thought, a series of knocks rapped against the door in an almost melodic, easy to recognize tune, the tell-tale sign of the post being delivered. Elian buttoned up his shirt halfway, before opening up the door, peeking out. It was still fairly early, pale sunlight mirroring on the snow blanketing the ground. Elian leaned out the door, reaching around to open the small post-box against the wall, gathering up three letters in his hand, swinging back inside before closing the door, shivering a little.

“Have you ever actually _seen_ one of the postmen delivering mail?” Erik asked from across the room, plucking ingredients out of the pantry as he did.

“You know, now that I think about it? No.” Elian said thoughtfully as he walked into the kitchen, stopping by the desk to pick up a letter opener; taking a seat at the island at the centre of the kitchen, eyes following Erik as he moved around the kitchen. Mia had gone out the night before, and because they’d be leaving soon, she proposed staying at a friend’s house instead, knowing that Erik would worry about her staying home alone for so long while they were off adventuring. The rogue eventually agreed, which definitely made Elian’s arguing against sharing a bed that much more difficult.

Erik had one of Elian’s discarded tees on, baggy on his body, a simple pair of boxers hugging his hips. Elian couldn’t help but stare, feeling as if Erik’s choice of dress was absolutely to get back at him for his prior teasing since they’d been back from the Royal Library. “I can feel you staring.” Erik spoke, almost sing-songy in tone. Carrying a fresh loaf of bread, a carefully wrapped piece of pork and some eggs, Erik approached the counter, procuring a knife from the drawer, gleaming silver and exceptionally sharp, kept as such by Erik’s diligence in the kitchen. Elian knew that the blade would likely be ineffective against a monster from Erdrea’s wilds, but it was still impressive.

“You really can’t blame me for that, can you?” Elian asked, pouting a little as he scooped the letter opener off the island. Erik only scoffed, before chuckling to himself as he got started. Elian began with the letter that was a bit weightier, all thanks to the beautiful wax seal of Heliodor, much flashier than it needed to be. Elian sliced through the seal after a moment of hesitation, opening up letter within. He quickly recognized Rab’s penmanship, a worried frown on his lips. Jade usually never missed a chance to get back in touch, for Rab to be handling her correspondence, that was cause for concern.

_Dear Erik,_

_I know you sent your letter here to Jade, but the information you got to us has kept us working like clockwork. Jade and King Carnelian are going to be attending a summit of leaders across the world. After Mordegon and Calasmos, everyone’s agreed that any danger coming to our shores have to be fought together. I’ve offered to go with them, and our Hendrik is hard at work getting battalions of Heliodor’s finest ready to help any of the towns and cities without enough of their own to help protect, especially those near the coasts. I think old Carnelian wants to atone for his part in Mordegon’s schemes, so he’s going out of his way to make sure he protects people this time around. I’m sorry we can’t send you any help laddie, you know I would if I could, but for now you two are on your own. And Erik, please, look after Elian. I know you will._

_Be safe, Rab._

In the time it took Elian to skim through the letter, Erik had turned to look at him, knife set on the counter. “El? What does it say?” He asked. Based on the bittersweet smile Elian wore from his worries mixed in with the happiness of just getting to hear from the others, he probably made it clear it wasn’t good news

Elian set the letter down, a soft sigh escaping as he looked up at Erik. “Jade, Rab and Hendrik won’t be able to help. Heliodor’s at the centre of an effort to make sure the cities and towns at risk are protected.” He said, Erik nodding, understanding. It was hard to be disappointed with the outcome, he was half expecting the outcome anyway.

“Yeah, that makes sense. What do the others say?” Erik asked as he picked up the knife, twirling it around his hand dextrously, before thinly cutting the piece of pork into strips, making himself a few rashers to fry for their breakfast before wrapping up the rest of the pork.

Elian sliced open each envelope, skimming through their contents swiftly, thankful for his talent for quick reading. “Sylvando is in Puerto Valor now, he’s helping Don Rodrigo with training more knights to help protect the town. Seems like everyone’s making sure that the towns are protected.” Elian said, flicking through to the last letter, skimming through it. “It’s Veronica, her and Serena are in Arboria right now. Serena’s been asked to be on standby as a healer for when things inevitably ‘go to shit’, as she’s put it.” Elian said, eliciting a snicker from Erik. “She’s suggesting we head over to Arboria, apparently the priests there have some old records about monsters from however long ago, they might be able to help out in some way.” Elian said, setting down the letters as the kitchen began filling with the scent of sizzling bacon.

“Well, we’re pretty close to Arboria, so it’s worth going to have a look. Plus, we’ll get to see the twins again.” Erik said with a nod, flipping the bacon over in the pan. “After that, we could Zoom over to the dock south of Zwaardrust, and make our way to Nautica?” Erik suggested, looking over his shoulder towards Elian.

Elian nodded, folding the letters carefully. “I agree, it sounds like our best bet for now.” He said, getting up from his seat. He shuffled around the island before moving to Erik’s side, slipping his arms around the rogue’s waist, resting his chin on Erik’s shoulder. “Veronica won’t let up when she finds out about us.” Elian said, eyes following Erik’s hand as he moved the bacon again. He felt Erik’s spare hand move to rub against his arm, as if to placate his worries.

“How’s she gonna react when she finds out we aren’t even dating properly?” Erik asked with an audible grin, reaching over to grab the loaf of bread. Erik began to shuffle to the side, taking Elian with him until they were next to the stove, stood at the countertop instead.

“You are _not_ that subtle.” Elian said softly, having had to sidestep to avoid losing contact. He could feel the rumble of Erik’s laughter against his chest, and it warmed his heart, such a physical manifestation of the other man’s amusement. “Erik, I’m falling for you.” Erik’s laughter was cut short as he spluttered, clearing his throat.

“You’re one to talk!” He shot back.

Elian smiled and moved to kiss his cheek gently, before leaning back to his regular spot. “You mean so much to me, and I don’t want to lose you. I guess that’s why I’m so worried about making this official.” He said.

“You’re not gonna lose me Elian, I’d never leave.” Erik said, looking over his shoulder as Elian moved his head back to let the rogue look.

“You might not have a choice.” He could feel his words punctuate the air, sobering himself with just the simple thought, and based on the look on Erik’s face, he felt the same.

“I survived Mordegon, and I survived Calasmos. I’ll be damned if I let some evil fish take me away from you.” Elian could feel the blush come out on his cheeks, a subtle heat as he managed a smile. He thought of Veronica, of her commitment to the fight that managed to kill her in an alternate timeline. He pushed back the grief that always seemed to bubble up to the surface, and instead pulled away from Erik.

“Come here, I don’t want to kiss you and accidentally stick my hand in a frying pan.” Elian said, offering out his hand to Erik. He watched as Erik laced his fingers with Elian, moving closer as he moved his free hand. Elian felt him grip at his waist, pulling him in close as they shared a kiss. Erik pulled back, grinning mirthfully as he let go of the Luminary.

“You’re adorable, you know that?” Erik asked as he moved back to the stove, checking on the bacon. When he seemed happy with the progress on the bacon, he started up a second pan, cracking two eggs into the pan after adding a scoop of butter.

“I’ll take your word for it.” Elian teased, gathering up the bundle of letters, moving to the desk with the letter opener in hand, placing them down.

“Does this mean I can call you my boyfriend now? Or are you still just my side piece?” Erik’s words dripped with sarcasm as he called through, whisking up the eggs to heat through in their scrambled state.

“I’m sure I’ve told you before, but you’re just so romantic.” Elian replied, pausing as he gazed out the window. A boyfriend, a comfy little cottage in a picturesque snowy city, and a looming danger. Two out of three wasn’t bad. “And yes, you can call me that.” He added as he moved back through to the kitchen, sitting down at the island again. Erik was busy slicing bread, popping open the grill built into the stove once he was done. He laid the bread out on a tray, crouching down to pop them under the heat before standing back up, stirring the eggs to make sure they didn’t burn.

Elian’s eyes followed Erik down, a small grin on his lips. “I’m starting to get a sixth sense for when you’re staring at my ass El.” Erik announced, looking over his shoulder as his hand moved instinctually.

“You’re my boyfriend now, isn’t that a perk of the job?” Elian asked with a smile that could melt butter, resting his chin in his hands as he gazed over at the thief.

“Perks are revoked when you should be focusing on my excellent cooking.” A cocky grin accompanied his words as he knelt back down. Following suit, Elian’s eyes drifted down. Erik used a towel to grip the hot tray, lifting out the toasted bread. With an alarming lack of kitchen safety, he picked up the toasted bread with his bare fingers, setting each slice on a plate before cutting them in half, arranging the bread so that the slices had a gap in the middle, putting the just finished scrambled eggs between them, before thankfully using a pair of tongs to set the bacon on top of the little hill of eggs he’d assembled. With a liberal pinch of salt and pepper over the top, Erik was done, handing the plate to Elian.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re an artist in disguise.” Elian praised as he accepted the plate, digging into the meal. Another benefit of life with Erik, incredible food on demand. Or, less of a demand and more, he just had to mention that he was hungry, and Erik would be off like an arrow from a bow, ready to cook at a moments notice. It was endearing to Elian and hoped he could find some way to take care of Erik in a similar way, just a gesture that could show his affection like a homecooked meal.

“Well, I don’t like to brag but, yeah.” Erik chuckled while Elian continued to eat. The rogue tucked in as well, and with their focus entirely on their food, breakfast passed quickly. Elian was the first out of the kitchen, his plate set carefully in the sink. He knelt by his pack, skimming through his clothing. He had taken two of the thicker, winter versions of his signature tunic, and had gotten more than enough use out of them, picking out the lesser used of the two. He heard Erik move behind him, the quiet clatter of plate on plate signifying that he was done too.

Elian tugged out his pants and one of his remaining pairs of underwear, alongside an undershirt, setting them on top of his now closed pack. “So, when do you want to start heading to Arboria?” Elian asked as he stood back up, turning to see Erik approach, wrapping his arms up around Elian’s neck.

“Well it’ll probably take a few hours to get to Arboria, but there’s a great camp near the town that we could stay at for the night, so we aren’t in any rush, right?” There was a suggestive lilt to the cyan haired man’s voice. Elian remembered the camp that Erik was talking about, it was perched near the edge of a cliff, surveying the forests below, with Yggdrasil floating high above. It was a truly beautiful sight, and he would have lingered on it more if it wasn’t for Erik’s thigh, slid up between his own legs. Elian focused himself on the ever so slightly shorter man in front of him, smiling.

“No rush.” He murmured, leaning down to press a kiss against Erik’s lips, his hands moving to Erik’s sides, sliding down slowly, feeling the tee smooth out as he went, before he dipped down further, grasping his lover’s hips. He let out a quiet moan against Erik’s lips, his boyfriend rubbing his thigh up against him with renewed excitement. Elian shuffled back, out of his grasp as he plopped down on the couch. Erik seemed to take that as a challenge, following after him. He half expected the rogue to settle in his lap, but instead he moved down onto his knees. He watched as Erik parted his legs slowly, settling between his thighs.

“That’s what I wanted to hear.” Erik hummed out happily as he tugged Elian’s pyjama pants down. Elian was happy to accommodate, lifting his hips up as he did, feeling his pyjamas and underwear get whipped down in one fell swoop. His flaccid cock flopped out onto his thigh while he relaxed down onto the couch. It was fun to watch Erik whenever he got sight of himself naked, he’d either erupt into a blush, or get a look in his eyes similar to hunger. It always made his heartbeat faster when the latter happened, and he was glad to see it now.

“Is the uh,’ Elian paused mid conversation as he turned halfway in the seat, looking over the back of the couch. The curtains were closed over, and the door was shut securely. It was still early enough that they probably wouldn’t be interrupted. “Okay, it is.” He settled back down as he felt Erik wrap his hand around the base of his cock, his other hand laying on Elian’s thigh as he got in close, pressing slow kisses up the shaft, slowly stroking as he continued the kissing, taking his time with it.

Elian’s breathing went shallow as he hardened up. Erik’s eyes lit up at the sight, his hand squeezing in response to his heavy cock thickening up. Elian squeaked out in surprise as Erik grasped underneath Elian’s knees, lifting his legs up. The rogue pressed them up further, until his knees were closer to his shoulders, folded up on the couch as if he were presenting himself.

“Now that’s a sight.” Erik purred out. Feeling Erik’s eyes on him in such an exposed position caused his body to heat up, as if he were blushing all over. He tentatively moved Erik’s hands, and instead held his knees himself, painfully aware of the fact that his ass was on full display for Erik, his cock throbbing between his thighs at the mere idea of it. Without much warning, he felt a wet trail slide along one of his round cheeks.

“Erik!” He groaned a little, fingers tightening around his legs to keep himself in place, too embarrassed to move. Elian was extremely hygienic, that wasn’t his concern, he had just _never_ had this kind of attention, even in his dreams, but now that he was presented with the scenario, it was making his heart beat a mile a minute.

“Shh, relax.” Erik’s free hands took full advantage, groping at Elian’s ass before he spread him apart as much as he could, flicking his tongue out between Elian’s plump cheeks. Elian let out a low moan, cheeks burning as he felt Erik’s tongue against his pink hole.

“Kinda hard to!” He defended, panting as he felt Erik wrap a hand around his cock, stroking him in tandem with his eager licks. He wasn’t going to last long like this, not only was it a brand-new experience, it felt damn _heavenly_ , and Erik was hardly going easy on him. Erik seemed to read his thoughts, and instead of giving him a break, Erik dipped his tongue inside, pressing in as his strokes picked up the pace. Elian couldn’t muffle the wanton cries that escaped, and after a few particularly swift strokes, he came undone, spurts of cum splattering against his chin before the rest shot out against his chest, most of it thankfully missing his half done up shirt as he let go of his legs, letting them relax against Erik’s shoulders as he came down from his high.

“How was that?” Erik asked with a cheeky grin as he shrugged Elian’s legs off his shoulders, back to being between the Luminary’s thighs.

“Shut up.” He grabbed Erik by the collar, hefting him up into a passionate kiss, eyes fluttering closed as they made out, making himself aware of Erik’s arousal, currently prodding at his lower back.

They weren’t going to get anything productive done before they made their way to Arboria, that much was clear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We've hit 50k words! What better way to celebrate than some embarrassed rimming. As I've said, things are shifting to adventure next chapter so I'm gonna have to get creative with where I sprinkle in some porn, but I'll figure it out! Thanks so much for all the support so far!


	14. The Sage and the Singer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got inspired to write another fic, the only benefit of this damn pandemic is that I have so much time to write now, but hopefully that won't impact how quick I update this! Everyone stay safe, and please enjoy c:

Elian peered down off the edge of the cliff they were perched upon, eyes taking in the vibrant greens and blues that coated the landscape. Off to his left, Yggdrasil was held high above the earth, a constant reminder of their victory over the forces of darkness that had threatened to consume Erdrea. The sun had long since risen, bathing the valleys beneath them in a golden glow, only managing to amplify the beauty of Arboria’s surroundings. Behind him, he heard Erik, hopping around their camp, getting dressed.

“You seen my boot?” Erik asked, currently in the process of digging through their camp for his wayward shoe that had been discarded during their bedtime rituals once they’d arrived at camp, which included Erik jokingly holding a large leaf over his crotch, declaring himself the ‘sexy nature demon’ at least four times while Elian tried his best not to wet himself laughing.

“Over there.” Elian nodded towards the tent, seeing the top of the boot sticking out from the side of it. Thankfully the Arborian camp didn’t have the convenience of a traveling merchant, he couldn’t imagine Erik’s display last night would have been well received by the kindly old man that often frequented their camps. Erik tossed a ‘thank you’ his way before heading over to grab his discarded boot. It was almost noon, but they had decided to take it slow, sleeping longer since they only just managed to reach the camp by nightfall, and weren’t exactly ready to sleep straight away when they arrived.

“Alright, I’m ready to go.” Erik announced as he wandered over to Elian. Feeling Erik’s embrace managed to soothe him better than anything he could think of, the rogue’s chin propped on his shoulder as they shared the view. Erik’s arms slid around his waist, feeling his hands flatten out against his sides, rubbing at them through his tunic.

“Coulda fooled me.” Elian said with a soft chuckle, moving his hands to rest on Erik’s arms, squeezing them gently. “Though I wouldn’t mind just living my life up here with you.” Elian said, before untangling himself from his lovers embrace, smiling over at him.

“Let’s just do that. I can get the leaf back.” Erik said. Elian rolled his eyes as Erik’s grin grew, walking over to the half tent to scoop up his blade.

“You were so close to convincing me.” Elian’s sarcastic comment was followed with a smile as he strapped the Sword of Light to his back, taking a step out of the protective ward surrounding the camp. The wards were an ingenious invention of arcane experts, a subtle and completely invisible bubble that surrounded these various campsites, ensuring that anyone who stayed would be safe from monsters. It seemed a little less necessary in these times, but with the potential threat of Levia Thanato, maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea to keep them active.

“No fun.” Erik chimed with a chuckle as he jogged over to catch up with Elian. They began to make their way down the path that wove its way across the Arborian Highlands, enjoying the scenery that met them. Elian always loved visiting Arboria, the vibrant greenery helped to remind him of Cobblestone, and the proximity to Yggdrasil served as a soothing presence in his mind, something he assumed the priests of Arboria also felt, going by their peaceful demeanor.

As the pair descended a hillside, a peal of thunder rang out, as if a storm had centred above their heads. Elian looked around, confused. The sky was clear, and the initial rumble of thunder wasn’t followed by any rain.

“Um, that was odd.” Elian said softly, looking around the surrounding grassland. At the bottom of the hill, murky darkness swirled together into a strange looking portal, dashes of navy blue, streaks of pale white and nebulous black folding in on itself. Out of the dark portal, a group of humanoids walked out, squat in stature, shrouded in dark blue robes.

“Are those Bodkin archers?” Erik asked, already drawing his daggers. The portal collapsed inwards as the Bodkins waddled around, as if not really sure of what they were doing, before each of them focused on the pair at the top of the hill. Their hoods would have obscured their faces, if the ornate masks didn’t already do that. Sculpted ivory masks depicted a face, four eyes placed where their normal eyes would be, a solid mouth of tentacles carved onto the disguise.

“Very weird ones.” Elian said, drawing his blade. Finding monsters out in the world wasn’t a rarity, but after the fall of both world-shattering threats, none were too confident to charge headlong into battle. These creatures however, had been sent here, and they looked ready to fight. The Bodkin that stood at the front of the group drew back an arrow, a pulse of dark magic crawling up the shaft as it was loosed towards Erik.

“A fight is a fight!” Erik’s eyes were alight with excitement as he brought his knife up to block the arrow, slicing it in two as a burst of dark clouds erupted around the rogue. Elian’s stomach dropped for a mere moment before Erik came charging out of the inky cloud, flanked by his two doppelgangers, whooping excitedly as he slid down the slope, blades flashing as he got stuck into the fight.

Elian breathed in slowly, a wave of relief crashing over him before his eyes narrowed, hand wrapping around the hilt of his blade. With a flourish, he drew the Sword of Light, the mark of the Luminary glowing in response. Running down the grassy knoll, he leapt into the fray, his sword glinting red as flames erupted along the metal. He sliced through one Bodkin, which recoiled, but kept fighting. These certainly weren’t normal Bodkins that would frequent Arboria’s wilds, they were much stronger. Avoiding a flurry of arrows, Elian slid to a stop, managing to have made some space between himself and the group.

“Get ready Erik!” Elian raised his hand to the sky, his mark glowing radiantly. Calling down Kazap, the magical current rushed through his body, a wonderful rush that he had truly missed. The bolt landed at the centre of the Bodkin group, finishing off a few of them. With their ranks stripped down, Erik and his duplicates dashed into the last of the group, mopping up what was left with swift dagger slices. Erik hopped away as the Bodkins disappeared into darkness, his doppelgangers disappearing in a burst of smoke.

“Nice shot, those things really didn’t like your lightning.” Erik hummed, turning to face Elian. Elian was, however, too busy staring at the spot where Erik’s duplicates had disappeared. “Partner? Everything alright?” He asked, walking over.

Elian was tugged out of his thoughts by the question, giving a quick affirmative nod. “Yup! Just forgot you could use Divide.” He said with a sheepish chuckle, nodding towards the path. “C’mon, we’re almost there.” Elian said, heading over to the path, feeling Erik’s presence behind him, following him.

“It’s not like you to be forgetful.” He said with a chuckle, walking alongside the Luminary now. Truth be told, Elian’s mind had started running with the idea of three of Erik in one room. It was incredible how quickly his mind shifted from their imminent danger at the hands of strange Bodkins, to the various uses of Erik’s rogue abilities in the bedroom.

“It’s been months since I’ve even used this sword, it’s a miracle I managed to use it properly.” He explained it off, a light chuckle escaping. Erik’s laughter was proof enough that he’d avoided embarrassment for now. Maybe he’d float the idea one day, three Erik’s was just too good to pass up.

Passing through the Arborian Highlands went much smoother after their initial fight. Elian thought back on the fight, and the strange Bodkins that assaulted them, never having seen a group of creatures like them, their abilities centred around darkness. As they approached the gates of Arboria, Elian caught sight of a young woman in a green dress, waving her hand high above her head as she caught sight of them.

“Elian! Erik!” Serena’s voice drifted over to them, a bright smile on her face as she jogged over to meet them. Elian picked up the pace, embracing the blonde in a quick hug, smiling in return.

“It’s good to see you Serena.” He spoke, feeling Erik’s hand against the small of his back as the rogue joined the hug, looping an arm around Serena’s shoulder.

“We’ve missed having the group together.” Erik chimed in as the woman pulled away, nodding her agreement.

“Veronica’s up at the cathedral. As soon as we got your letter, she went off to start tearing the clerical records apart. She’s learned a lot, thankfully, so we should be able to give you some help. I’m sorry again that I won’t be able to join you, the rest of the world is relying on Arboria to supply healers. Over the last few days, sea creatures have become far more active. Apparently two trade ships were attacked off the coast of Lonalulu.” She told them; her voice laden with sorrow. Out of the twins, Serena was the more empathetic of the two, and wore her heart on her sleeve.

“There’s no need to apologize, we understand.” Elian assured. He knew Veronica wouldn’t be joining them either, despite her lack of skill with the healing arts, Veronica was busy at work figuring out what would be needed to combat the many creatures that would pop up thanks to Levia Thanato, something she’d alluded to in her letter.

“What happened with the ships?” Erik continued as they began ascending the steps into the middle of Arboria. The city was as beautiful as ever, as if someone had plucked an ancient ruin out of a history book and restored it, the alabaster buildings glinting in the sun, similar to Puerto Valor, though the comforting shade of Yggdrasil would often cover the city, dampening the bright sunlight.

“Thankfully, no one was hurt too badly. The sailors and merchants washed up on the shore, all accounted for, just a few cuts and bruises.” Serena explained as they passed the centre of town, trotting up the staircase that led to the cathedral that high priest Benedictus resided in. As the doors opened, Elian and Erik followed Serena inside.

The cathedral was definitely one of the most impressive buildings in Erdrea, by Elian’s estimation anyway. Statues of robed men with swords piercing the floor surrounded the circular room, flanked by thick marble pillars, the floor mural polished beautifully, to the point that Elian could almost make out his reflection from it. Straight ahead was the doorway through to the First Forest, but off to the right, a small doorway leading through to the ecclesiastical archive, a small library like room that was full of the history of the Arborian priesthood. Serena opened up the door, stepping inside as a woman’s head peered up from over the top of a pile of books, so similar to Serena but deceptively young.

“Well, look what the cat dragged in.” Veronica grinned devilishly as she hopped down from the seat she was currently toiling away in, picking up her staff. On the table, books dealing with monsters and various creatures from time immemorial were written down, alongside two pendants, beautifully carved sapphire encased in silver. They had a shimmer of magic to them, clearly enchanted.

“Nice to see you too Ronnie.” Erik responded casually as he walked along the aisles of bookcases that made up the room.

“My name is Veronica. It’s not that long, _Ricky_ , I’m sure you could manage it.” Their eyes clashed for a moment before they descended into snickers. Elian just shook his head, an amused smile on his face as he watched the exchange.

“Ricky, is longer than my actual name, doesn’t work.” Erik teased as he moved over to the desk, reaching for one of the necklaces. Veronica’s staff smacking him in the hand saw to that, so the rogue huffed, taking a step back.

“How have you been Veronica?” Elian asked, offering up a smile. It had only been about three weeks since they had all met up at Heliodor, but it felt like another lifetime.

“No better thanks to him.” She said, giving Erik a pointed look, though shot the pair a smile as she shuffled over, picking up the pair of necklaces. “But not so bad. You’re both looking well.” A rare moment of sincerity from Veronica.

“Veronica, be nice.” Serena reminded as she sat down at the windowsill, gazing out at Arboria as she hummed. The harpist didn’t seem quite as vacant as she could be, certainly still aloof in her mannerisms, but there was something quite a bit more mature about her. It reminded Elian of _his_ Serena, the sage who had joined with the spirit of Veronica after Mordegon split their group apart and took over. A sombre feeling welled up in his heart at the memory, so he instead focused.

“Alright alright, I’m going to talk now, and you’re going to listen. I’ve got a lot to say.” Veronica said, moving around to sit back in the seat she’d been in when they first entered the room, sliding the piles of books to the side so she could see them both.

“Understood.” Erik and Elian spoke as one, glancing at each other in amusement as Veronica got started.

“So, based on the information you gave me, and the information that you found for Queen Frysabel, which Krystalinda helpfully shared with me, we’re up against Levia Thanato. I’ve managed to dredge up some ancient scripture about the monster. He has two nicknames, the ‘Death of the Sea’ or ‘The Great Corruptor’. None too friendly, I’m sure you agree.” Veronica said, skimming through her notes carefully. “In ancient times, Levia Thanato would ‘bless’ lesser monsters with grotesque strength, his abyssal connection.” She told the pair, with Serena listening in, already knowing this as she helped veronica with her reading of the scripture.

“That explains the Bodkins shooting dark magic at us on the way here.” Erik commented, quietening down when he remembered Veronica’s instructions.

“Let’s get back to that in a moment.” Veronica said before continuing. “So, in your letter you mentioned visiting Nautica to check their information? Well, you were right on the money with that idea. While the information on Levia Thanato is pretty limited, I found one very specific mention of the creature and its mortal enemy. The kingdom of Nautica, a nation of merpeople covering much of the inner sea.” She said, smiling as Erik got his ‘I knew I was right’ face on. Elian felt himself rolling his eyes at the sight before he could help himself.

“Well that’s good news, I can head down to Nautica straight away.” Elian said, receiving the same withering glare that had shut Erik up.

“Not quite, if my theory is correct.” Veronica picked up her staff, the head of the magical catalyst glowing purple as it seemed to scan Elian. Veronica’s frown seemed to confirm her suspicions. “Thought so. The blessing that the queen gave you, its worn off by now, after months of not using it.” She explained. Elian frowned a little at the fact, silently relieved he hadn’t tried using Zoom for a quick visit to Nautica during his time off. The enchantment was very handy, giving him the ability to both breathe underwater and transform into a fish to speak with the sea creatures living in the kingdom.

“Or not.” Erik frowned, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Not to fear.” Boastful, Veronica held out one of the necklaces to Elian. “Put this on, and then squeeze it tight.” She told him, seeming mildly impatient.

Elian accepted the beautiful pendant, slipping it on as instructed. He grasped the sapphire jewel in one hand, squeezing it tight. He could feel it before anything happened, the magic flowing out through him. Blue light enveloped him, swirling around him for a moment before it settled. He looked around, catching Erik’s eyes. They were wide, frantically travelling the length of his body.

“Uh, what?” He looked down, realizing that his entire outfit had changed. His comfortable slacks had been replaced by shorts made of a sheer, turquoise fabric, opaque enough not to put him on display. His chest was covered by a more sheer material, though it was accented with actual leather straps by his shoulders and tucked under his armpits, a hard hem covering just under his pectoral muscles, leaving his midriff bare. The sleeves were short, made primarily of the supple leather, the inside woven with much softer material so wearing the outfit like a dream. His shins were covered in what looked like metal shin guards, the glinting silver accented with blue metal, his feet left bare since he’d be swimming in this gear.

“That’s uh, quite a look…” Erik managed to say, and based on the look on his face, he’d managed to suppress saying anything more.

“It’s insanely comfortable! You’ve really outdone yourself with this, you’ve taken your magic studies seriously.” He praised, smiling widely. “So, what does it do?” He asked, moving the conversation on from Erik’s leering.

“Well, instead of having to turn into a fish, you can just communicate with the creatures in Nautica, and it gives you complete water breathing.” Veronica explained, smiling proudly. “Alongside giving lover boy over there some eye candy.” She teased, snickering as Erik’s face erupted into a blush. It was rare to see Erik flustered, and Elian felt his heartbeat pick up at the sight. Maybe he should convince Veronica to come along so he could see it more often. “Just squeeze the crystal again to store the magic, and the outfit, back in the pendant.” She told him. Elian did so, and after a moment or so, he was back to normal, holding his arms up to inspect the purple fabric of his tunic.

“These are incredible, thank you Veronica. I had no idea you were looking into enchantment.” He commented, to which Erik agreed, seeming to have recovered from his earlier leering.

“Well up until a few days ago, there wasn’t much to lob fireballs at.” Veronica chuckled to herself as she looked up at the pair. “I want to keep making this world better. If I can’t fight to do that, I’ll find another way.” In that moment, Elian knew that he had made the right decision all those months ago, to give up the world he came from. The world was a better place with Veronica in it, and it was something he was so happy to see in action.

“I’m proud of you Veronica.” Elian said sincerely.

“We all are.” Serena piped in, showing more attention now that Veronica’s briefing was coming to an end.

“Agreed.” Erik echoed.

“Oh, shut up, the lot of you! In case you’ve forgotten, I’m technically older than all of you, quit the happy parents’ routine.” She quipped, handing Erik his pendant before hopping down from the chair. Despite her snark, she was smiling. “Now come on, lets go get a proper catch up before you two scurry off to save the world.” She announced as they left the archive.

With their plan set in motion, Elian felt a little more comfortable spending some time in Arboria to catch up with the sisters. Even though his mind was locked onto the idea of Erik in their gifted magical garb.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Combat, magical girl transformations, and Veronica! Definitely the best chapter so far. And Erik just being himself. Thanks everyone's continued support of the fic, I wouldn't say the end is in sight just yet, but we're definitely at the mid way of this tale


	15. Onward to the Ocean

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slightly longer today! Hope everyone enjoys c:

As the sun rose, Elian blearily awoke, a yawn escaping his lips. They had spent a few hours wandering Arboria with Serena and Veronica, catching up and discussing everything and anything that they could think of. When they were ready to retire for the night, Veronica told them she had booked two rooms in the local inn so they wouldn’t have to waste their money. It led to Erik having to awkwardly tell the pair that they would have preferred a shared room.

Veronica had promptly erupted with laughter, Serena’s laughter much more subtle, able to be hidden behind her hand before she pulled out a small pouch of coins, handing it over to Veronica. Elian wasn’t so much shocked that they’d been betting on whether or not he and Erik had gotten together, more so that she had gotten them to admit it in such an embarrassing way. After the exchanging of gold, Veronica revealed she hadn’t actually booked them rooms, the innkeeper had just promised to give the Luminary a free room when he showed up.

He could’ve sworn Erik was going to throw something at the mage, but thankfully he restrained himself. A brawl between the pair was the last thing they needed. Speaking of the temperamental rogue, he felt as Erik started to stir, his head resting against Elian’s chest. One of Elian’s arms was looped around Erik’s torso, the other tucked under his pillow as he watched his lover, his hand rubbing at his side lazily. It was strange, to think of Erik as his lover now. Sometimes, he still just thought of the cyan haired rogue as his best friend, not really on purpose, just because of how long he’d been the Erik’s friend and nothing more.

Then he’d think of Erik’s words, his actions, and feel a wonderful kind of butterflies, flitting around in his stomach, so much so that it was hard to focus sometimes. He really had it bad. Erik shifted, a strand of hair falling to cover his eyes. He reached down to gently brush the hair from his face, admiring the gentle look of peace on Erik’s face.

“Stop it.” His voice was thick with sleep, and Elian could feel Erik’s hands moving, one sliding against his side, the other moving up to grasp his shoulder.

“Stop what?” Elian asked, his smile evident in his voice as he continued to gaze at Erik.

Without opening his eyes, Erik smiled. “Staring at me when I’m trying to sleep.” Erik murmured, cracking one eye open.

“I’ll accept a lot of things, but not being allowed to look at you isn’t one of them.” Elian said, leaning down to press a gentle kiss to Erik’s lips.

“Whoa, you’re such a bad boy.” Erik drawled out, his sarcasm playful as he rolled off of the Luminary, instead shuffling up the bed, resting his head on the pillow instead as his arms comfortably held Elian by the waist, pressing soft kisses to his shoulder.

“Obviously.” Elian agreed with a chuckle, glancing out of the window of the inn. The sun had only just peeked over the horizon, probably the earliest Elian had woken up in quite a while. “Whenever we’re up and ready, we can make our way to Nautica.” Elian said as he pulled Erik in close, kissing the top of his head.

“Up and ready, huh?” Erik hummed. Elian groaned a little as he felt Erik’s hand slide down his chest, ducking under the covers. His hand slipped past the obvious target, instead sliding down further. Erik’s fingers gently brushed against his inner thigh, the rogue continuing his gentle kisses against his shoulder.

“You are the worst.” Elian grumbled, already feeling himself react to Erik’s suggestive touches.

“Breakfast will stop being served in ten minutes!” The announcement came sailing through the crack underneath the door, the voice gentle yet authoritative enough that Erik paused his ministrations, rolling his eyes.

“Busy.” He responded, as if the woman could hear him, kissing down Elian’s shoulder slowly, soft lips pressing into his arm.

“Uh, Erik? I kinda want breakfast.” Elian admitted sheepishly, deciding to follow his stomach rather than the rapidly growing problem forming under the sheets.

Erik paused his kisses, hand gripping at Elian’s thigh gently before he sighed. “Yeah, me too.” He murmured against his skin, chuckling a little as he started kissing up his arm again. He drifted along his arm gently, then leant over, pressing a soft peck to his cheek. Elian felt the rogue heft himself up out of bed, rolling onto his side to follow Erik’s movements with his eyes. Getting to watch Erik move around in the nude was definitely one of his favourite pastimes now that they were dating, the sight of his semi-hard manhood filling him with an odd sense of pride. Erik was aroused at the mere idea of touching him.

“Come on, let’s get you something else to eat for once.” Elian hummed; his double entendre clear as he climbed up out of the bed. Erik let out an indignant gasp, turning to face him before his cheeks went pink. Elian tilted his head to the side, reaching down to lazily scratch at his neatly trimmed pubes, ignoring his obvious erection. After a moment of casually standing there, a grin covered his lips.

“Hurry up and get dressed before I make the executive decision to say fuck breakfast.” Erik said, crossing his arms over his chest. Elian smiled and shuffled over, leaning down to kiss Erik on the nose.

“Grumpy.” He hummed, reaching down to give one of Erik’s ass cheeks a quick squeeze before sliding out of his grasp, heading over to put his clothes on. Elian couldn’t see Erik’s reaction, but he half expected a pillow to the back of the head, or worse. Elian picked out his clothes, mindful of the fact that they’d be visiting Zwaardrust, hoping to find a ship that would sail them out above Nautica. Veronica recommended that they use Lorelei’s Harp to reach Nautica rather than Zoom, or at least, to test out the enchantments before heading underwater. She was confident in her abilities but didn’t want to send them to the bottom of the open with shoddy magical protection.

Elian picked out an outfit he hadn’t worn yet, a pair of black slacks, paired with some heavy-set black boots, with a white shirt and navy-blue overcoat, some comfortable white wool trim around his sleeves and hood. It wasn’t quite as warm as his reinforced tunic, the jacket being much shorter and less bulky than his snow tunic but would be fine for the chilly mountain climate of Zwaardrust. He turned to face Erik once he’d gotten dressed, smiling at the sight that greeted him.

The rogue was now waring snow boots, reaching just under his knees, a pair of thicker pants on his legs, and his signature green hoodie, the loosely tied lacing tied up properly to keep his chest from being exposed to the cool air, a black shawl tucked under his hood and around his shoulders, offering some extra resistance to the cold, a similar look that Elian had to adopt when they were on the run.

“You’re looking good.” Elian hummed, smiling over at him. It was becoming harder not to compliment the rogue with every passing comment, something that he hoped was endearing and not grating.

“Not too bad yourself. I like the coat.” Erik commented, scooping their room key up off the bedside table.

“Mum made it for me, I told her I wanted to go visit the ruins at Dundrasil one day, so she thought I could use a warm coat for the journey.” As Elian spoke, his smile strained, remembering the life he’d left behind. With all that was going on, he had no idea how his mother was. Thankfully, Cobblestone wasn’t that close to any major bodies of water, he hoped that was enough to keep them safe. After their trip to Nautica, he’d have to head back and make sure they were alright, before setting off on the rest of their adventure, wherever that may lead.

Erik seemed to notice, moving in close, resting his hands on Elian’s biceps, squeezing gently as he encouraged the Luminary to look at him. “They’ll be okay El. You know your mum; she’d beat that squid to death with a ladle if need be.” He said, grinning at him. Elian couldn’t help but laugh at the mental image, his smile back to being its usual shining self as he nodded.

“Thanks Erik.” Elian murmured softly, leaning in to gently kiss his cheek. “You always know the right thing to say.” He said as he took a step back, offering his hand. “Breakfast?” He offered. Erik nodded enthusiastically, allowing Elian to lead him out of their room.

The inn itself didn’t have much space downstairs for serving breakfast, so they’d expanded, setting up a small amount of tables outside, and some up at the small circular balcony overlooking the First Forest, the spot that Elian remembered as the place Serena had cut her hair, symbolising her resolve, to carry on as Veronica would have. After ordering themselves a fulfilling breakfast of toast, scrambled eggs and grilled tomatoes, Erik and Elian made their way up the short staircase to the seats with the nicest view, sitting down across from one another.

“Zwaardrust next. You mentioned you wanted to go visit the ruins at Dundrasil, think we could stop by? Depending on how urgent Queen Marina’s information is, obviously.” Erik offered, a small smile on his lips. It filled Elian with a warm feeling in the pit of his stomach, that Erik was ready to potentially put saving the world on the back burner so they could go visit Elian’s ancestral home.

“You’d really want to go? It’s quite a trek out the way.” Elian said cautiously, as if he needed to give the rogue an out.

“It’s important to you, of course I’d want to go.” Erik said, as if it were the simplest thing possible. Elian smiled sheepishly, nodding a little. Truth be told, Elian wanted to visit simply to pay respects to the place his father fell. Being able to at least leave something behind at their graves was important to him.

He had visited with Rab after Calasmos fell, accompanying the older man as he paid his own respects. Going by himself was something he wanted to do for two reasons, he didn’t feel his grief was comparable to Rab’s, he hadn’t properly known his parents, while Rab had raised Eleanor, and held his father Irwin in high regard. The other reason was for his own curiosity, even in ruins, Dundrasil was beautiful, and he just wanted to see it again. Having Erik accompany him was a good middle ground, truthfully finding it daunting to visit the grave alone.

“If we have time, I wouldn’t mind.” Elian said, smiling as he reached over to squeeze Erik’s hand gently. A waitress arrived at their table moments later, a tray of glasses filled with fresh orange juice in one hand, their plates of food balanced on her other hand and arm. She effortlessly gifted them their breakfast, bidding them to enjoy before scampering off to continue with work.

“Then it’s a potential deal.” Erik said, before delving into his food. Elian did the same, eager to get through breakfast so that they could make their way over to Zwaardrust.

“Goddess above, these are good scrambled eggs.” Elian said, hand covering his mouth as he ate, feeling the need to pause his eating to say so.

“Agreed.” Erik murmured, taking his eating a bit slower, as if he were analysing the eggs, trying to figure out exactly what was in them so he could recreate them. He perked up, halfway to getting his next forkful in, his hand pausing. “Didn’t King Carnelian mention something about an effort to rebuild Dundrasil? Way back when.” Erik pondered, before going in for the next bite.

Elian had all but forgotten about that, a comment made in passing, at a royal banquet held after the world had been saved. Together with the rulers of the other major kingdoms, Carnelian had planned to create a fund that would go towards the restoration of the ruined kingdom. Last he’d heard of it was from Jade, Sniflheim, Gallopolis, Heliodor and Arboria had put together the fund, and were still building it up before they would contact anyone for the construction effort. Elian knew the implication, if Dundrasil was rebuilt, he would be prince. Well, no, he would be king. He was only nineteen, twenty in a few weeks. Ruling a kingdom was the last thing on his mind, or the last thing he was prepared to do.

“Mhm, they’re working on it, I think. Probably on the backburner now, mind you.” Elian said as he took a sip of his orange juice.

“You sound less than enthused.” Erik pointed out, pointing towards Elian with his fork for emphasis.

“I just don’t necessarily think I’m ready to be a king.” Elian defended, hands raised in mock surrender, eking a smile out of the rogue as he continued with breakfast.

“That’s fair. What a shame though, Royal Consort sounds like a great title. And you know Mia would _love_ living in a castle.” Erik said, grinning as Elian rolled his eyes, setting his fork down.

“You’ve already made up a title for yourself? Didn’t think you were a gold digger.” Elian hummed; words laced with humour.

“Hey, my interest is purely physical, not monetary.” Erik said, wiggling his eyebrows as he finished off his food.

“And here I thought you liked me for my personality.” Elian pouted, playing along with his lovers teasing. Once they’d both finished their breakfast, Elian jogged down to the inn to pay for breakfast, before heading back to Erik, holding out his hand. “Ready to go?” He asked.

Erik nodded affirmatively as he took his hand, squeezing gently before closing his eyes. As the magical blue energy swirled around them, they were launched off to the Zwaardrust region. As they arrived, the thrum of magic filling his ears was replaced with a peal of thunder. As soon as they hit the ground, rain drenching them “I take it back!” Erik yelled over the roar of the rain.

Keeping hold of Erik’s hand, they ran down the grassy slope that led out of the Zwaardrust region towards the small sandy beach that connected them to the inner ocean. The rickety wooden hut that used to stand there had been improved greatly, turned into a small log cabin for travelling sailors. Based on the fact that it was dark in the windows, it was empty. Elian tugged Erik along, just managing to keep himself upright in the mud, trotting up the wooden steps, quickly getting the door open. “Quickly, in!” Elian yelled over the thunderous rain. Once Erik was inside, Elian followed suit, closing the door shut behind them.

The room was dark, but even in the dim, it was much nicer than it had been a few months prior. Elian quickly pulled his muddy boots off, setting them at the door. Erik did the same before treading over to the fireplace. Thankfully, the cabin was fully stocked from the last crew that had been here, and Erik was able to get a fire going. The flame illuminated the cabin, orange glow bathing the room. Elian shivered, feeling at his damp clothes with a frown. Cold resistant? Yes. Super waterproof? Not so much.

Erik nodded over to the fire. “C’mon, you’re gonna catch a cold in that.” He said, already in the process of removing his hoodie, his damp skin glistening in the burnish gleam of the fire. Elian’s cheeks went pink as he watched, quickly undoing the buttons on his coat. He looked around the room, spotting an unfolding metal rack that they could place their clothes on and set it by the fire. He shuffled over, hefting it up and carrying it over, met with Erik’s near nude form, wet white underwear clinging to his body.

He did his best not to ogle, and instead went about making sure that their clothes would dry, setting up the rack off to the side of the warm fire, carefully hanging his coat up on it. Erik joined at his side, folding his clothes over the rack, facing the flame. Elian undid his shirt buttons, hanging it over the rack before tugging his pants down, placing those on the rack with his socks. He glanced at Erik, catching his wandering eyes and his grin. Elian knew they’d need to dry their underwear too, so he decided to play along. “I’ll show mine if you show me yours.” He joked.

Without much more encouragement, Erik whipped his underwear down his legs as he tossed them on the rack, turning triumphantly to Elian, hands on his hips. “Your turn.”

Elian chuckled softly, rolling his eyes as he pulled his underwear down, setting them on the rack next to Erik’s. He then moved the rack back enough that they could sit, surrounded by the rack, in front of the fire. “Care to join me?” He asked, lifting his leg high to climb over the rack, settling down cross legged in front of the fire. The rogue needed no encouragement, hopping over the rack to settle beside the hero.

“I do.” He hummed, leaning over to press a slow, intense kiss to his lips, hand moving to his cheek to cup it. Elian let out a muffled squeak of surprise, grasping Erik’s hand, pulling away from the kiss.

“This place is used by _everyone_. I like riskiness, sure, but not ‘a ships worth of sailors knocking on the door’ kinda risk.” Elian deadpanned, cheeks rosy and warm from the fire and the delightful kiss.

“If you’d trust me, you’d remember that those ships were the main way me and Mia got around, not everyone has Zoom.” He said, tapping Elian’s on the nose with his free hand. “And I know for a fact that no ship is gonna show up here for at least an hour, maybe even more with ships being recommended to stay off the seas.” He hummed, chasing Elian’s retreat, soft kisses against his lips as Elian groaned, continuing to retreat until he’d flopped onto his back, feeling Erik collapse down onto his chest.

Elian grabbed at his other wrist, keeping his grabby hands at bay as he rolled his eyes. “You’re insatiable.” He huffed, releasing Erik’s hands, watching them press down either side of his head as he slipped his arms around his lover’s waist.

“And you’re hot.” Elian hummed, meeting Elian with a passionate kiss, slow and deliberate with each of his movements as he settled on top of the Luminary, arms transitioning from keeping him upright to wrapped around Elian’s neck, using the taller man as a platform.

Elian smiled up against the other man’s lips, hands roaming across his back, dipping down further as they continued to make out. Elian could already feel himself hardening, not exactly the most comfortable due to Erik’s weight against him. Thankfully, the rogue was quick to react, lifting his hips to give Elian some space, returning down with his own growing problem. Elian groaned into the kiss as their erections pressed together. He began to grind himself up against Erik, feeling him return the subtle actions.

Elian pulled back from the kiss, panting softly as Erik followed, kissing along his jaw and down to his neck, biting down gently to suck at the flesh, eager to mark his territory. Not to be outdone, Elian reached down to grope possessively at Erik’s plump rear, lewdly spreading the cyan haired man apart as his grinding grew more eager. He could hear Erik’s breathing quicken as he toyed with the rogue’s perky ass, the mere action exciting the smaller man.

“You feel so good.” He groaned out, sliding one hand down between them both, managing to take hold of both their cocks. Erik adjusted his position, arching his back enough that it accentuated his rear and gave Elian some more space to stroke them together. Erik renewed his focus on marring Elian’s neck with various bites and love marks, blooming red against pale pink.

“Mhm.” Was all Erik responded with, teeth currently sunk into Elian’s shoulder. The Luminary’s cock throbbed at the subtle pain coursing through him, exciting him even more.

Elian removed his right hand from Erik’s ass, quickly sticking two fingers in his mouth to coat them in saliva, taking his time as he stroked them both, Erik eagerly sucking against his skin as his hands moved to trace the brunet’s more muscular body. Once he was sure he was suitably coated before reaching back down. He slid two fingers down between Erik’s cheeks, gently rubbing both wet fingers against Erik’s tight hole. That managed to elicit a response, moans bubbling against Elian’s skin as he pulled off, panting softly.

“Doing okay there, bluebird?” Elian asked, voiced unintentionally husky and deep as he moved to kiss at Erik’s jaw. He caught sight of Erik’s blush deepening.

“Bluebird? That’s a new one. Where’d yo- Ah!” He was interrupted by Elian’s finger dipping in, the tip of his finger gently probing Erik’s entrance open. “Mmf, slow down there, princess.” Erik hummed, reaching over blindly as he leant down to kiss his lover, rolling his hips to meet both Elian’s strokes and his gentle prodding. Erik finally found his target, his turned over pack, hand delving inside, searching through it haphazardly until he procured a small bottle of clear liquid.

“Can’t help it.” Elian pouted, watching as Erik pulled away from the kiss. He let out an audible whine as Erik climbed out of his lap. It would have felt embarrassing, to be splayed out on the floor of a cabin in such an exposed way if it was anyone but Erik. The rogue turned around, carefully sitting himself back down on Elian’s chest, presenting himself for the Luminary.

Elian’s cheeks burned red at the sight as Erik arched his back, reaching back to spread himself apart. Elian’s eyes followed a light, wispy dusting of cyan blue hairs trailing down his crack until he’d reached his goal, Erik’s pink hole, twitching as Erik moved one hand to grab at the Luminary’s cock. “Remember that comment about getting me something else to eat?” Erik hummed amusedly as he leaned down, wrapping his lips around the head of Elian’s cock. Elian let out a low moan, his cock throbbing into the man’s mouth as he leant up. He licked an eager stripe up from Erik’s hanging balls, up until he’d reach the cyan haired man’s hole, swirling his tongue around the rim before eagerly peppering the hole with his lips.

He pulled away from the kisses after a moment, biting down gently on one of Erik’s cheeks. “What was that bottle?” He asked, before going back to slowly tease at Erik’s hole with his tongue.

Erik took his turn to pull off, a string of saliva connecting the rogue’s lips to Elian’s cock as he reached back, dangling the bottle of oil in front of Elian’s eyes. “Lube, duh.” He hummed. Elian’s cheeks grew a shade darker, if possible. Erik climbed up off the hero for the second time, pouring a small quantity of the lube over Elian’s cock before sitting down in his lap, rubbing it in.

Elian shivered at the cold feeling against his hot flesh. He watched, heart beating faster as Erik reached back to open himself up with two lubed up fingers. Elian felt jealousy bubble up, that he wasn’t the one to do it, even though he realized how ridiculous that sounded. He grasped himself, properly spreading the lube over his cock as Erik moaned out, spreading himself for Elian to watch. It was probably the best view he’d ever seen.

“Are we really gonna have our first time in a sailor’s rest?” Elian asked with a soft chuckle as Erik positioned himself. The rogue’s cock was stiff, oozing precum similarly to Elian’s own. They wouldn’t last long, that was for sure.

“By the fire, after escaping a storm? Super romantic.” He hummed as he leaned down, capturing Elian’s lips in a passionate kiss, slowly pushing himself down. They both started to moan into their shared kiss as Erik spread apart with Elian’s cock sliding inside. Erik took it slow, his cock twitching at every inch.

They broke apart from the kiss as Erik continued down, reaching the base, pants escaping his lips. Elian gazed up at him, awestruck, as if he’d just realized all over again that Erik truly was the most beautiful man he’d ever seen. “I can’t hold on much longer.” Elian admitted as his hands moved to grip at Erik’s waist, just desperate for more contact.

“Don’t hold back baby, let it all go.” Erik’s words were so soft and encouraging, despite how sensual his actions were. Elian watched as Erik lifted his hips up, before diving back down, the sudden warmth wrapping around him as Erik bounced on him driving him crazy. Elian grasped at Erik’s cock, stroking it in time with the man’s bouncing as he rolled his hips upwards, causing the cyan haired thief to groan out, their shared panting and keening moans growing into a maddening crescendo as Elian was undone. He couldn’t hold back as he shot his load inside Erik, his grasp and stroking going frantic, driving Erik over the edge. Spurts of cum splattered against his chest and stomach as Erik rode out both their orgasms atop him.

Erik collapsed down onto him as he was finally spent. Elian panted, attempting to catch his breath, arms wrapping around Erik. He was sweaty, sticky with Erik’s load all over his chest, but he was as close to bliss as he could get. “That was incredible.” He murmured against Erik’s hair; his face buried into the cyan tufts.

“You certainly know how to treat a guy.” Erik agreed, squeezing Elian tightly, a dreamy sigh pressing against Elian’s chest. “Royal Consort and official dick rider.” He murmured against Elian’s damp skin, a snicker escaping as Elian gently smacked his back.

“There’s a bath in here, let’s get washed up before a tourist ship passes through and we give people way too much of a show.” Elian said, smiling as he carefully helped Erik up, groaning a little as he felt himself slide out of him, dripping cum splattering down against his crotch. “You’re definitely going first.” Elian said, chuckling a little.

After about half an hour, the pair of adventurers were washed, dressed and ready to go. Or at least, they would be if a ship had arrived. Due to the storm, a ship hadn’t yet arrived. They’d just have to wait until one did so they could make their way out to Nautica. After cleaning up the cabin, Elian decided to test out the charm around his neck again, holding it tight as he transformed his outfit into Veronica’s enchanted undersea gear. He looked it over, humming happily as all seemed right, before catching sight of Erik, snickering.

“You uh, you got something there.” Erik spoke, tapping his own neck to show what he meant. The Luminary glanced down, seeing one of the dark red bites, obvious against the pale skin of his shoulder.

“Erik, I hate you.” Elian deadpanned, knowing he’d have to stand before the mermaid queen covered in love bites like a horny teenager.

Said rogue took a step forward, stealing a soft kiss from Elian. “No, you don’t.” He hummed, smiling.

It was difficult to argue after their morning in the storm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Power bottom Erik and tender top Elian is my absolute favourite dynamic, poor farm boy doesn't stand a chance. Queen Marina is 100% gonna judge these poor boys


	16. Sorrow in the Rain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've hit a creative stride so I'm gonna do my best to update as much as I can! Hope everyone enjoys c:

Almost two hours had passed before a small ship from Gondolia had arrived, a fishing vessel in fear of going broke due to the dangers of working the sea. They leapt at the chance to sail Erik and Elian off to the middle of the inner ocean, especially after being given a handsome fee. With the money settled, and Lorelei’s harp secured in hand, they travelled over the water. Elian was surprised at how nippy the small ship was, but he was relieved at it too. Looking out on the water, he couldn’t help but be reminded of the fathomless depths beneath them, and whatever lurked beneath them.

Elian and Erik gathered at the back of the boat as they approached. The transcendent instrument cradled in Elian’s hands began to thrum with energy, and based on the yelling coming from the front of the ship, the glow of otherworldly blue energy had appeared ahead of them. “Alright, you ready?” Elian asked, noting the look of apprehension on Erik’s face. His forays into Nautica had always been alone, the magic protecting him from the crushing ocean, so Erik being concerned about diving so deep into the water was no real surprise.

“Uh, I think so. I’ll be better once I’m down there.” Erik assured, grasping the necklace hanging around his neck. He watched as Erik squeezed gently, light enveloping the rogue. Elian squinted a little at the sudden burst of light, holding his hand up to his eyes to block out the shine. As it faded, Elian’s eyes traced Erik’s new form. The sheer silky garments hanging to his lithe form were hard to ignore, subtle sapphire colouring complimenting his pale skin and shocking cyan hair, the solid strips of beige leather inlaid with golden thread and pieces of metal made him look like some sort of exotic jewel, plucked straight from a collection fit for the sultan of Gallopolis.

“Um, at least we know your pendant works now.” Elian managed to mumble out, clearing his throat.

Erik glanced down at himself, brushing his hand against his midsection, the taut abdominal muscles unyielding against his touches. “Sounds like it’s working a bit too well.” Erik hummed to himself, giving Elian a look as the Luminary felt his cheeks heat some more.

“You definitely gave me the same look when I tried it out.” Elian pointed out, rolling his eyes as he squeezed the pendant, shifting from his regular outfit into the depth striding garb, still holding the harp close to his chest.

“It’d be hard to deny.” Erik said casually as he approached the edge of the boat. Elian followed apprehensively, looking around. The sea was calm, as if they were stood atop a lake, not the sea, pale blue stretched out as far as the eye could see, and directly beneath them, the glowing light of Nautica surrounded the ship. The storm from hours earlier had faded for now, but the sky was still billowing with dark clouds, a stark contrast to the peaceful waters below.

“Alright, here we go.” Elian breathed out, slow and steady as he began to gently pluck the strings of the harp, ethereal music surrounding them. It was nothing to do with his abilities with the instrument thankfully, the steady hum of magic bathing them in a glow similar to the energy rising up from Nautica. He nodded to Erik as they both took a step off the ship, the magic that enveloped them felt similar to Zoom dragging them down to the ocean floor.

Elian gently hooked the harp to his hip, still holding his breath. They were too late to start having misgivings about Veronica’s enchantments, so he breathed in through his mouth. The enchantment was so advanced that it felt as natural as breathing in air, so he sighed out, looking around. Nautica was still as bright and vibrant as ever, but there was still a horrible feeling of dread running up his spine. The knowledge that Levia Thanato was somewhere in the vast expanses of Erdrea’s oceans was enough to cause a chill over his body.

Erik turned to look at him, his face a mixture of wonderment and anxiety. His eyes drifted away from Elian to search the city, face quickly warping to a wider smile. With the dark storm clouds high above, the seas were darker, but Nautica was covered in glowing crystals and bioluminescent sea creatures, turning the place into a shining paradise, their route to the queen marked by crystals encased in coral like streetlamps.

“You always told us how beautiful Nautica was, I had no idea it was really as good as you said.” Erik breathed out, seeming mildly perplexed by the fact that he even _could_ breathe like this.

“Wait ‘til you see inside Queen Marina’s tower. It’s incredible.” He hummed, lacing his fingers with Erik’s as he led him through the streets. A group of mermaids swam past, all sending a friendly wave over to Elian before swimming past. Erik followed their forms, face etched with awe. It was something to see a mermaid, to see them travel through the water with such ease was something else.

“This place is incredible! Honeymoon potential I’d say.” Erik said with a chuckle, nudging his hips with Elian’s, who simply laughed, squeezing his hand gently.

“Can you stop planning out our post-married life before either of us actually ask?” Elian quizzed, though his smile only grew as Erik laughed. He couldn’t see himself ever saying no.

They stopped at the foot of the beautiful tower, speckled with various hues of pink and green as it rose through the water, the bulk of the upper tower resembling a red and white spiralled shell. Elian stepped through the threshold, offering a kind smile to the mermaid that floated before them.

“You wish for an audience with the Queen, o’ Luminary? If so, do not tarry.” She asked, politer than she usually was. They knew about Levia Thanato, they had to. Elian gave a curt nod, polite as he could be as she floated aside, air bubbling up towards the ceiling. Elian squeezed Erik’s hands gently, leading him into the pillar of uplifting current, carrying them both up to the room above.

They landed just past the hole in the floor. Elian knelt out of respect, with Erik quickly following. Queen Marina sat reclined on her throne, the picture of regality, though her face showed her clear concern.

“Arise, Luminary, and speak. I can only hope the surface is not so bleak.” Marina’s words were like silk, her hand gesturing for them to stand. Elian did so, with Erik following quickly behind. Elian watched as Marina’s eyes drifted down a little. She was looking at his neck, and likely his shoulder, the parts Erik had covered with bites and red marks. His cheeks went red as Marina’s smile grew, eyes flicking between the pair before turning her attention back to Elian, an expectant look on her face.

“We’ve come to talk about Levia Thanato, the creature that’s attacking the surface. Has it come here yet?” Elian asked, clearing his throat as he did his best not to look away. 

“Thankfully no, the monster frequents the seas out of our reach. Though I have no doubt that with time, it will come ashore on our fair beach.” Marina’s tonal voice continued to follow her rhyming couplets, sitting up from her reclined position.

“What caused this creature to attack? We’ve looked through every possible bestiary, it hasn’t been seen in centuries.” Elian told her, hoping that her knowledge of the seas could help to piece things together. Marina’s face took on a pensive look, close to sorrow as she nodded, sighing.

“An ancient seal of powerful magic locked the beast in the deep, below layers of water and rime. The seal was broken by none other than you, dear Luminary, on your trip through time.” Marina’s words were tinged with regret as she spoke them. Elian could feel his face fall, looking down at himself, holding his hands out to gaze at them.

“It was my fault?” Elian asked quietly.

“Trip through time? What does she mean?” Erik had finally spoken up. He had likely been content to just listen, but knowledge of Elian’s past being dredged up broke his silence.

“Ah, the Luminesced, at last you speak.” Her eyes drifted from Elian to Erik, a kind smile contrasted with the sadness in her eyes. “Fear not, this calamity was not the Luminary’s to wreak.” She said as Erik turned to her from Elian. Elian did his best to avoid Erik’s eyes, knowing that he was likely confused beyond belief.

“Luminesced? What does that mean?” Erik asked, seeming to push past his burgeoning questions to instead ask Marina things that could be discussed quickly.

“A title we mermaids bestow, to fair Serenica in times past. For the lover of the Luminary, holder of his heart, this title is cast.” Elian managed to look at Erik, to see his cheeks bloom into a red blush at the realization. “Of course, we know of you as Erik, your true name. We may call you that, all the same.” Marina explained, her smile coyer than Elian had ever seen it.

“Uh, no, it’s fine.” Erik said awkwardly, if Elian had to guess, both at the attention of the beautiful royal who had shifted focus to him, and the recognition of him as Elian’s lover.

Elian cleared his throat, sighing. He was going to have to spend a long time explaining to Erik, he could already feel him acting differently, doubts bubbling up between them. “If I caused this, I want to fix it. Is there any way to repair the seal?” He asked.

Marina’s head shook, as she reclined once more. “Unfortunately, no, now that he is free, attempting to seal him again isn’t something we can do. To stop Levia Thanato, what is required is its’ death, swift and true.” She said, reaching her hand out, gesturing to the harp hanging from Elian’s hip. “The harp of Lorelei is named for one of my dear ancestors, a queen from long ago. One of her other trinkets is above the water, lost centuries before now, its reclamation we had to forego.” She explained as Elian nodded, thinking on the fact that another treasure like Lorelei’s harp existed above the seas.

“And we need that to kill it?” Elian asked. He could feel Erik’s eyes on him, but he refused to look, knowing that the confusion in his eyes would break him.

“Lorelei’s Crown was a gift to an ancient community in the southern reaches of a land you know as the Champs Sauvage, that is where I would look. If it still exists there, then it is likely hidden away in a little nook.” She said, thinking for a moment before continuing. “It has the power to weaken Levia Thanato and his abyssal influence on the waters around. I hate to ask this of you, but when he is weak, he must be slain, and buried beneath the ground.”

Elian nodded quietly, expecting as much. He swallowed down the lump in his throat, the idea of having to face the beast was terrifying prospect, but he knew it would be necessary. “We’ll get to work immediately, if it’s south of the Champs Sauvage, we can check Phnom Nohn first, and spread out from there. But we should be quick.” Elian said, reaching for Erik’s hand. He felt the rogue flinch a little, but he did his best to push past it, his heart aching. Erik knew something was amiss.

“Indeed, you should, the longer Levia Thanato lives, the more his vile presence corrupts, no doubt you’ve seen the abyssal monsters that have risen. With this monster’s death, peace may be given.” Elian nodded, giving a curt bow before letting the magic flow through him, transporting Erik and himself out of Nautica, arriving just outside of the log cabin they’d spent some of the morning in. Despite the breathing down in Nautica feeling normal, it felt like a weight had been pulled from his chest.

Erik yanked his hand free of Elian’s turning to face him. “What did she mean? You travelled through time?” Elian gazed at Erik and could barely recognize him. The mistrust burning in his eyes, the sadness clear on his face, like he couldn’t even look at him. It stabbed at his chest like a blade, to see Erik look at him like that.

“Okay, I’ll tell you.” High above them, the dark clouds still held, threatening to spill over. “Do you remember the tower we visited? Where we met Serenica? It wasn’t my first visit. I visited there, in my time, and I came back here, to try and fix things. I’m… I’m from a different timeline, where things went terribly wrong.” Elian explained, hearing the pain in his own voice, grating on him.

“You’re… You're not my Elian.” Erik’s eyes brimmed with unshed tears as he stared at Elian. It was like a shard of glass, stabbing into his chest, a cold pain weaving through him. Hearing Erik say something like that hurt more than anything he could think of. He reached out, to explain, but Erik turned, taking off into a sprint.

The sky broke apart, and the rain fell in troves. Elian gasped in shock, reaching down to seal his enchanted gear away, returning to his regular outfit. By the time he was safe from the rain, Erik was gone. “Erik! Erik, please come back!” He cried out towards the treeline. The path led towards Octagonia, and even further past that, it would reach the ruins at Dundrasil. Elian reached up, wiping tears from his cheeks as he started to follow the path, a swift jog along the cobbled path, able to avoid the grass as it quickly grew swampy. Erik was always going to be faster than he was, and in this weather, it would be difficult to move around in his current clothing.

He reached the top of the hill, near Octagonia, still calling out for Erik until his voice was coarse, panting as he came to a stop, resting his hands on his knees as he caught his breath. He jumped a little as a voice hit him, from the entrance to the valley near Octagonia, a burly man in a mask of gold, obscuring his features, a leather cross harness across his chest. “Oi, you doin’ alright there?”

He looked up, catching the sight of the man stood with an umbrella, shielding some of his bulky body from the downpour. “I’m looking for my boyfriend!” Elian shouted over the rain, feeling oddly liberated by calling him that, even if he wasn’t sure if he still could.

“Blue ‘air, looks like he just escaped from a Gallopolitan harem?” The beefy man asked, and Elian quickly nodded his agreement. “Blighter came rippin’ through a few minutes ago, looked like he was heading to the camp down by the ol’ Dundrasil ruins. You be careful, ya hear! This weather is a nightmare for the rocks and all.” He said, and Elian quickly nodded to him.

“Thank you!” He called, picking up the pace as he made his way along the path towards Dundrasil’s ruins. The rain began to ease as he began climbing across the rocks that separated Dundrasil from the rest of the namesake region. While the rain slowed, the dark clouds still persisted, a hazy gloom covering the region. Despite it, catching sight of Dundrasil’s ruins still gave him a sense of wonderment. He didn’t let himself get caught up in it, seeing a small blink of orange light at the base of Dundrasil’s walls, at the camp by the river.

His heart began to hammer in his chest, on the one hand, he felt apprehensive that it was Erik, knowing that the other man had ran from him, and probably didn’t want to speak with him, but on the other hand, he felt an overwhelming urge to just tell him everything. His secrets led to this, he had to fix it. He jogged down the slope, hair sodden with water, along with his clothes as he reached the camp, almost ten minutes having passed since he’d watched Erik run from him.

Erik had long since shifted back to his usual outfit, sat quietly by the fire as Elian approached. When he looked at him, it was as if the rogue was looking through his soul. Erik’s cheeks were tearstained, eyes glistening with unshed tears.

“Elian, I just want…” Erik started.

“I am yours.” Elian knelt by the fire, staring into his eyes. “I remember the first time we met, in that dingy dungeon. You saved me, and I saved you. I remember our first night under the stars, I made you a knife, as a thank you. You called me ‘little blacksmith’ and we laughed.” Elian could feel his tears welling up, voice starting to break as he spoke, but he refused to stop, even as Erik tried to interrupt him. “I remember the first time I used healing magic; it was on you. You got hurt trying to protect Veronica when we were exploring the crypt near Hotto. You called me your guardian angel, and I’m sure my face was cherry red when you did.” He could see a ghost of a smile on Erik’s face as the rogue wiped his eyes, looking up at him. “I remember the night before we went up to Yggdrasil, everyone was excited, and scared, and ready for anything. You squeezed my hand, and you told me it would all be okay. You kept me fighting.” Elian wiped at his own tears, reaching out to grasp Erik’s hands. No flinching.

“El… You have to tell me everything. I want to believe you, but you have to see how this looks to me.” Elian nodded quickly as Erik spoke, leaning down to kiss his hands gently.

“I will, I swear. But I am your Elian, everything you know about me, it’s all the same.” He assured before sitting down next Erik, focusing his eyes on the flame, not Erik. He’d cried enough for right now and looking at his lover was sure to make it worse.

He felt Erik’s hand rest on his own, Elian’s other hand looped around his legs as he started to warm up by the fire. “Go ahead.” Erik said softly.

“The world I come from, before I was sent back. It…” He paused, thinking of the best way to broach the topic. Telling Erik, telling everyone, was something he’d planned to do, but to be faced with it, with no real plan, it was daunting to say the least. “Mordegon won. I was sent back to the day before we travelled up to Yggdrasil, didn’t you wonder where that sword came from?” He asked, a weak chuckle escaping as Erik nodded.

“Mordegon won? What happened?” He asked.

“Jasper. He hit me with a bolt of dark magic, when I was about to take the Sword of Light.” Elian explained.

“ _That’s_ how you knew he was there.” Erik said softly, gently squeezing Elian’s hand.

Elian nodded quietly. “In my world, Mordegon destroyed Yggdrasil, and took over everything. Veronica…” The emotions welled up in his chest, just remembering it. It was sometimes hard to differentiate, he had two separate memories of the same event. “Veronica managed to get up after Jasper incapacitated us, she used her powers to get us all to safety. She died saving us.” Erik’s grasp went slack as he looked at Elian, gaze boring into him. Elian looked over, met with Erik’s shock.

“She died?” Erik asked softly, eyes portraying a look of utter disbelief.

“Veronica died, Jade was possessed by some sick demonic creature for a while, Rab spent an eternity in limbo trying to learn ways to defeat Mordegon, and almost died in the process. You lost your memories for a while, a deal with the Seer so you could escape Mordegon’s forces.” Elian spoke, memories assaulting his mind, tearing up.

“What about my sister?” Erik asked, his words full of fear at the idea of them being unable to save Mia after Erik had lost his memories.

“We managed to save her, but Mordegon had gotten to her first. Turned her into a demon called Gyldygga. You asked me to trust you, and I did. You saved her from it all, I just made sure to help how I could.” Elian told him, catching the subtle relief as Erik nodded, his face contorting into fear when he heard that Mordegon had affected Mia.

“Sylvando and Serena? What happened to them?” He asked softly, lifting Elian’s hands into both of his own, holding it up to press a soft kiss to Elian’s knuckles.

“Serena managed to save us and lead us to Veronica. Her spirit joined with Serena; she was with us all the way. And Sylvando, well Sylvando saw a world in terror and decided to make a travelling band of merry men to spread happiness.” Elian said, very matter of frankly.

Erik looked at him for any hint of a joke, before laughing, a sound so soft and sweet that immediately put Elian at ease. “Well, that sounds exactly like Sylvando.” Erik said, resting his head on Elian’s shoulder. “I’m sorry I ran, I just… I was afraid that you weren’t the Elian I knew.” Erik said softly.

“I understand Erik, I do. But I am the Elian you know, I just… I have memories from after Mordegon. People I’ll never see again.” Elian said quietly, gazing down at the flames for a moment before turning to Erik. “I will always be yours, no one else’s.” He whispered, leaning over to press a gentle, tentative kiss to Erik’s cheek. Erik turned to face him after Elian had done it, leaning in close to return the favour, their lips meeting in a gentle kiss. Elian could feel Erik’s hand cradling his cheek, the other resting against his chest.

The rogue pulled back, nodding quietly. “You’re mine, I believe you.” He said, a soft chuckle escaping as he let their foreheads rest together. Elian’s hands moved, cupping Erik’s cheeks gently as he nodded. “And I’m yours.” Erik added. “In case that wasn’t obvious.” He murmured, eliciting a chuckle from Elian.

“No more secrets, I promise.” Elian said softly.

“I understand why you kept it to yourself El, but yeah, I’d prefer honesty even if it’s tougher. I want to support you.” He told the Luminary, and Elian gave him a nod in response.

“You got it, bluebird.” Elian murmured, causing Erik’s cheeks to turn a soft shade of pink, likely remembering the first time Elian had used the term of endearment.

“So that’s just my nickname now?” Erik asked, not seeming that bothered by the prospect.

“I can hardly call you the royal dick rider in polite company, can I?” Elian asked with a snicker, before Erik erupted into amused laughter.

“Got me there, I’ll admit.” Erik hummed, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

Elian’s worries began to melt away as he looped his arms around Erik’s back, pulling him in close as he kissed his forehead. Hunting for Lorelei’s Crown would come soon, having Erik close and happy was enough for right now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I felt the need for angst, it was necessary I swear! But it just means that Elian gets to comfort sad Erik and be a good boyfriend. Hope everyone enjoys the chapter, I'm already thinking ahead to the end of this fic, and I can't imagine not writing it, so I'm wrestling with the idea of a sequel atm! Kudos and comments are always welcome, thanks all c:


	17. For the Crown

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little bit of Erik POV sprinkled in, just to spice this chapter up!

Elian hefted himself up the rope, groaning a little as he flopped out from the sturdy well, panting as he clambered up to his feet. A flock of white birds flew off from their perches among the ruins, the gentle flap of wings fluttering away. He reached into the well, grasping Erik’s hand, helping him up out of the brick tunnel, catching him as he hopped out.

“You took your time getting up there.” Elian teased, gently setting Erik down on the ground.

“Sorry, the view was better down in the well.” Erik said, his hands dropping down to teasingly squeeze at Elian’s thighs. He yelped a little, smacking Erik’s side as his arms slid around to tug him into a hug.

“I’m gonna ignore that and instead, say thanks, for coming with me.” Elian murmured, pressing a soft kiss to the rogue’s cheek before pulling away, heading over to the stairs leading up out of the small cobbled room they’d climbed into.

“It’s fine El, quit thanking me.” He heard Erik’s voice drift up after him as he climbed, stepping out into the sun. The dark clouds had begun to move further south, and the afternoon sun filtered down on Dundrasil’s ruins. Elian gazed up at the rubble, arches of polished stone and walls barely left standing, weathered by years of neglect, after the attack by Mordegon’s forces almost twenty years ago. They were standing, he assumed, at the front of Dundrasil’s castle, they could see the town below from the well, the destroyed staircase they had climbed out next to had connected the front of the castle to the rest of Dundrasil.

Elian willed his footfalls forward, walking between the sun-bleached walls, carefully avoiding fallen rocks and weaving roots underfoot. After walking through some of the ruin, he came to the part of the path where he assumed the castle began, opening into a more expansive part of the ruin. Just ahead of him, a small grave sat undisturbed, a bushel of wilting flowers laying beneath the stone.

“I’ll only be a few minutes, okay?” He called back to Erik, who hovered at the threshold, watching Elian approach the grave.

“Take your time, I’ll go have an explore.” Erik said, smiling over at him as he turned on his heel, trotting off into the ruins to have a look around. Elian turned back to the grave, kneeling in front of it, reaching down to pick up the flowers. Most of the petals fell from the stem as he lifted them, withered from age.

“Sorry mum, I didn’t bring any flowers.” He murmured, a half laugh passing his lips, as if he were awaiting a response. It felt odd, to refer to Eleanor as his mother, even though she was. To him, his mother was home in Cobblestone, probably worrying up a storm. He pushed past the odd feeling of conversing with a stone. “I came with Erik, I don’t think I’d have been brave enough to visit all by myself. You’d like him. I hope.” Elian set the flowers aside, turning his attention back to the headstone.

It felt so strange, to try and speak with a hunk of rock. It was no replacement, and what little comfort it gave him, to remember his parents, he just didn’t feel comfortable speaking at a stone for hours on end. He wished he knew his parents better, so he could maybe speak as if he remembered them properly, but he didn’t. He sighed, and instead pulled out the Fun-Sized Forge, taking it away from the headstone as he got started. He gathered up some metal ores from his bag, a mix of platinum and gold, alongside a few more exotic ingredients they had found on their adventures, dumping it all into the forge. After it had finished up, the molten metal poured out onto the forge, rapidly cooling as Elian lifted up the hammer, carefully hammering the metal into shape. The loud clangs rang throughout the ruins, echoing off of empty walls.

Between the rings of metal as the shield took shape, Elian heard footsteps behind him, light but not purposefully so. Erik. He finished off the shield as the rogue turned the corner. “You alright? I heard…” Erik’s words trailed off. In Elian’s arms, a shield featuring Dundrasil’s crest woven in gold. He gently placed the shield against the grave, smiling a little.

“Bye mum, bye dad.” He murmured, before standing up, packing the miniature forge away. He turned to face Erik, nodding. “I’m good. Promise.” He gave Erik a smile as he walked over to him, leaning down to press a gentle kiss to his lover’s cheek. Erik nodded, taking Elian’s hands in his own, squeezing them.

“Phnom Nohn next?” Erik asked as he led Elian back down away from the grave.

“If we’re gonna find that crown, Phnom Nohn seems like our best bet, that’s for sure.” Elian agreed, thinking on it for a moment. He remembered their first visit to the town, and their time on the Other Side. It was possible that the crown had been lost through the mural, but after they had defeated Dora-In-Grey, the strange dimension had been sealed away. If it was still in there, they really were in trouble.

“Alright, well we said we’d be quick, and as much as I love getting on the ocean with that creature floating around, I think we should use a shortcut.” Erik said, chuckling as they reached the edge of the upper area of Dundrasil. Elian approached the stone railings, peering down at the ruins below. Even destroyed and infested with various creatures, he could imagine just how beautiful Dundrasil must have been. He realized he’d just ignored Erik completely, so he quickly turned, offering a quick nod.

“I completely agree. Shortcuts are gonna be pretty much required from here on out.” He moved back to Erik’s side, grasping the rogue’s hand. Blue swirling energy wrapped around them, before they were transported across Erdrea.

Landing just outside of the town, Elian caught sight of some of Sylvando’s smile spreading parade-goers, seeming to have found themselves a place in Phnom Nohn, helping to keep the city upbeat after the actions of Avarith, the strange demon that forced the settlement into dance. Erik and Elian made their way up the steps into the main square of Phnom Nohn, the town abuzz with chat, laughter and music, paper lanterns hung up across the town. It seemed like they were getting ready for one of their various festivals.

“Looks busy.” Erik said, resting his hands behind his head, tapping his foot on the ground, seeming to be lost in thought. “We should probably split up, I’ll take the top of the town, you ask around here? I’ll start with the church, see if they have any records.” Erik suggested, looking to Elian.

“Yeah, I can check on everyone down here, see if anyone remembers legends of crowns or mermaids, something like that.” Elian said, leaning over to press a chaste kiss to Erik’s lips, stepping back. “Meet back here in an hour or so?”

Erik nodded, giving Elian’s hand a quick squeeze. “You got it, have fun.” He hummed teasingly, blowing a kiss as he jogged off towards the stairs that snaked through town, rising up towards the ruins. Elian rolled his eyes a little, before nodding to himself. Time to get started.

~

Erik made his way through Phnom Nohn, exploring the upper reaches of the town. With Elian covering his back, he was free to take his time with the church. It had only been about two hours since Elian had told him about the world he’d come from, a future where Mordegon won, and even though he’d accepted that Elian was still the same man he’d met in Heliodor’s dungeons all that time ago, it was still something that weighed on his mind. He knew there were things Elian had gone through that he could only be told about; he’d never know exactly what his lover had dealt with.

Then there was the fact that in an alternate timeline, Veronica had lost her life protecting them. They had managed to beat Mordegon and Calasmos in his time, and despite some losses along the way, none of them had died. Going into battle again was putting them at risk, and while Erik accepted that they were heroes, and it was expected of them, he was scared. With Mia back in his life properly, and he and Elian coming together, he felt like there was even more at stake than just the safety of the world, despite how ridiculous that sounded.

He’d been looking into getting Mia a place at the academy near Phnom Nohn, she was still young, only sixteen, and eligible for enrolment. Despite the fact that she would likely despise the place; Erik himself often called the place ‘a lunatics haven’, considering the Deans obsession with odd medals, the more he learned of the place, the more he realized it’d be perfect for Mia. Giving her an education that he’d missed out on, a place to be safe, and more chances to make friends, it was worth her kicking and screaming for it. His position as an honorary student after travelling with Elian meant he’d likely manage to snag her a spot. Hopefully, anyway.

He pushed open the doors to the church, a small circular room, with a solitary priest at the altar, looking over a book quietly. He looked up from his writing, raising an eyebrow.

“Ah, a wayward sheep has found their way home. How may I help you, my child?” The priest asked, setting the book down on the altar.

“Um, well, I’m not here to confess if that’s what you think.” Erik said, slightly defensive as he approached. “I’m looking for information, a relic that was apparently held near here, a crown.” Erik explained, hoping his brusque retort wasn’t going to screw him over.

“Ah, well unfortunately I am no historian, however, I had a confessor a day or so ago, a traveller to Phnom Nohn, who was searching this region for ancient legends and relics. If you’re looking for information on our ancient history, this traveller may be your best bet.” The priest said.

“Alright, that sounds great. Do you know where this guy went?” Erik asked, glad that he at least had a lead to follow.

“Last I heard, he was staying at the inn, interviewing some of our older citizens and making trips out into the Champs Sauvage to explore. You should be able to find him around.” He said, gesturing towards the door. He could probably tell that Erik wasn’t one for churches, but the rogue smiled, nonetheless.

“Thank you, I really appreciate this.” He said, before heading out of the church, taking a moment to remember the layout of town before jogging down the steps towards the inn. Once he’d found his way, he ducked into the busy bar, heading straight for the front desk.

“’Ow can I ‘elp you love?” The woman behind the desk flashed him a wide smile as she gestured around. “Just in time for the festival!” She spoke cheerily.

“I’m actually looking for a guest, someone studying history here in Phnom Nohn?” Erik asked, leaning against the desk, giving her a polite smile. Though, his version of a polite smile differed greatly from Elian’s more of his charm oozing out.

“Oh! You’re looking for that scholar type, name’s Markus or something like that, from Sniflheim.” She said, tapping her chin thoughtfully. “I saw him earlier this afternoon, I think he was off up to Nhou Wat, wanted to take some sketches of the mural and things like that.” She reached under the desk, bringing out a ledger, skimming through it. “Aye, he’s still around, rooms booked for the next two weeks.” She tucked the ledger under the desk again.

“That’s great, thanks for your help. I’ll be sure to come buy a drink once I’m done.” He said with a playful wink as he turned on his heel, hearing her chuckle to herself as he left. Going on the charm offensive never failed to get a result, even if it did feel quite weird to do so. He jogged down the steps back to the entrance of town, spotting Elian surrounded by a group of nice old ladies, all chatting away with him, offering him small bundled up boxes of food, likely gifts for the festival. Elian looked flustered, and mildly panicked, thanking the elderly group profusely for the gifts.

Erik snickered under his breath, before approaching the group. Elian caught sight of him, and going by the look of relief that flooded his face, he was about to be used as an excuse. “Thank you all so much for your help, but I really do have to be going. My boyfriend and I are here to shop.” It was possibly the worst excuse Erik had ever heard. “If we don’t get it done, we’ll never be back to Heliodor in time. I’ll be sure to enjoy these while I’m shopping.” Elian gestured to the stack of boxes held in his hands, offering up a kind smile. Okay, he managed to salvage the excuse, a little anyway.

“Apologies ladies, thanks for keeping him company.” Erik said, giving them just enough to fawn over without being sucked into getting his own mountain of gifts, making a show of looping his arm around Elian’s shoulder. The Luminary managed to wave without dropping the stack, seeming relieved to be guided away.

“Thank you so much.” He heard Elian murmur under his breath. “I feel like I’d been there for hours.” Elian spoke melodramatically, as if he’d been chained in a dungeon, not fawned over by some kind grandmothers.

“Closer to ten minutes.” Erik’s amusement was obvious as he led them towards the stepped. “They seemed nice though.” Erik pointed out.

“They were _so_ nice, it was crazy!” Elian defended, nodding to the top of the stack. “I do appreciate it though, I’m starving.” He mumbled.

Erik used his spare hand to carefully lift the first box off, relinquishing his hold around Elian to open it up. A sickly-sweet confectionery aroma escaped the box as he did so, his eyes widening at the sight. His mouth started to water as he lifted out a small, perfectly spherical donut, half of the baked treat dipped in a sticky caramel sauce while the other was dusted with sugar. “You think Rab would be offended if we set him up with one of them? Or all of them?” He asked, grinning as he took a bite out of the donut, groaning at the sugary overload.

“If they’re good enough to make you sound like that, Rab might just have to deal with it. Can I have a bite?” Elian asked, returning the grin. Erik chuckled and offered up the other side of the donut, letting the Luminary get a bite of the caramel sauce and the sugar. Going by the look on Elian’s face, he was absolutely on board with his plan to get Rab hitched.

“They might be the nicest donuts I’ve ever had.” Erik hummed, noticing a dusting of sugar on Elian’s chin and a splotch of caramel on his cheek. He snickered and finished off the first one, using his clean hand to swipe the caramel off of Elian’s face, dusting the sugar away as Elian fussed, scrunching his nose up.

“Screw making Rab marry one of them, that means he gets all the donuts. You need to make them adopt you.” Elian spoke as if he’d cracked the code, eyes alight with mischief.

“I was about to argue but if Mia tasted one of these, she’d already be filling out the adoption form.” He agreed, sharing a laugh with Elian as they climbed the stone stairs.

“So can I assume you found something? You came back really quick.” Elian pointed out.

“That I did. The priest didn’t really know much, but he had met a travelling scholar from Sniflheim, Markus something. Apparently, he’s researching local legends. If anyone’s gonna know, it’ll be him.” Erik said, guiding Elian to a nearby bench to help him with the pile of confectionery sweets, taking half of the pile so it was easier for the Luminary to walk. Elian thanked him before picking up the remaining boxes. “Last he was seen, he was up at Nhou Wat, I think he’s our best bet for figuring this out.” Erik got Elian up to speed as they made their way up the steps to the top of the town, onto the grassy path that led to the ruins.

~

Elian felt the ground beneath give way from solid cobbles to soft grass, dew glistening as they approached the ruins. Crouched down by the entrance, a man was furiously scribbling in his journal, a pair of thick glasses obscuring much of his face, his outfit instantly recognisable as a scholar of Sniflheim, warm robes that would stave off the cold while still showing their prestige.

“Excuse me, Markus?” Elian set his pile of confectionary gifts down on the stone wall next to him as the scholar perked up, rising to his feet.

“That’s me, how can I help?” He asked, looking the pair up and down, before squinting his eyes. “Ah, you’re the Luminary! This must be important.” Markus assumed, holding onto his journal, eyes brimming with excitement.

Elian glanced at Erik, the two men sharing a look before nodding. Elian began to explain what was going on, with Erik occasionally interjecting to help with Elian’s recap. Markus listened, seeming enraptured by the tales they told him.

“… And that’s as much as we know, that the crown was last recorded to be somewhere near Phnom Nohn.” Elian finished off his story, catching his breath. Markus mulled it over as he opened the journal cradled in his hands, skimming through his notes quickly.

“Ah, yes! I’m sure I had read something similar. The tale of the coral crown, an old legend from Phnom Nohn’s ancient history, about a shrine built into a cave at the foot of the cliffs south of here.” Markus recited from the notes in his book, looking in a southerly direction. “There must be a passage through the cliffside somewhere.” Markus assumed, tapping his chin curiously. “Perhaps in the ruins near town.” Markus deduced, before looking at the pair.

“That’s great news, we could just summon Cetacea and take her over to the beaches on the other side of the cliff.” Erik beamed, nudging Elian’s side. The Luminary gave an awkward chuckle, shaking his head.

“Well… No, we can’t. I left Cetacea’s flute with Veronica.” He admitted sheepishly, watching as Erik slapped his hand to his face, sighing.

“Why in Yggdrasil’s name, did that gremlin need the flute?” Erik asked. Elian subdued a snicker, knowing that if Veronica was here, she’d have already beaten him over the head for that remark.

“She asked to borrow it for research, and besides, you never know, she might need it.” Elian pointed out, though he couldn’t really imagine what for. Cetacea’s flute worked for everyone now, Elian’s link to Yggdrasil had unlocked its power, but Veronica wasn’t one to use it willy-nilly, knowing her she’d sooner take the thing apart to study its’ magic than use it to summon Cetacea.

“Well then, this got more difficult.” Erik mumbled, turning to Markus. “You think the path forward might be in those ruins outside of town?” He asked.

The Sniflheim scholar nodded astutely, patting his journal proudly. “Based on my notes, it would make the most sense.” He said, thanking the pair for their interest in his studies, before excusing himself, heading down into the Nhou Wat ruins properly to continue his research.

“I guess we know where we’re going next. Let’s put these boxes in my pack, should have enough space.” Elian said, helping Erik with his pile once he’d slung his bag onto the ground, making sure they were ready before squeezing Erik’s hand.

Together, they left Nhou Wat and made their way towards the gate to town. If the crown was as necessary as Queen Marina claimed, they’d have to retrieve it quickly. There hadn’t been any sightings of Levia Thanato in recent days, other than the ships being attacked off the coast of Lonalulu, and that fact alone worried Elian. No news felt worse than news at this point.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're getting closer and closer to the final confrontation! I've still got a few more chapters in me, and hopefully an epilogue to round things off! Hope everyone's still enjoying the story c:


	18. Love like Lightning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slightly longer chapter, I'm angling to make them a bit longer in general as we reach the end game, hopefully adding some more combat scenes (and intimate ones), so hope you all enjoy!

“Y’know, when Mia convinced you to come with us, this wasn’t what I expected from our time together.” Erik’s complaints were accompanied by a strained groan. Elian glanced over to see him lifting aside a hunk of ruined masonry, covered in moss and dew. Ignoring the various creepy crawlies that scurried away from the rock, he let out a light chuckle.

“It’s not exactly the most glamorous job, I’ll give you that.” Elian agreed, drawing the Sword of Light, whispering a quiet apology to the inanimate object before beginning to swiftly chop down the vines covering the walls that had grown thick and sinuous from years of being uninterrupted. They had been there for nearly an hour, working on searching through the ruins for any kind of hint that could be used to find a way through the cliff and towards the cave Markus had told them about.

“When we get done saving the world for the _third_ time…” Erik began, Elian rolling his eyes as he did, pulling the loose vines from the wall. “We are going on holiday. A proper holiday, where I can have you all to myself.” Elian hummed to himself in amusement as he glanced over at him.

“Well it sounds like I’ve got no choice, huh?” Elian asked with a soft chuckle, sheathing his blade once he’d managed to rid the walls of their vines. “I won’t complain though, some time with you without anything to actually do sounds great.” Elian’s smile was sincere enough to cause a faint blush on Erik’s cheeks.

“We’ll get through this, and then we’ll have all the time in the world.” Erik said with a confident smile plastered over his face as he continued to work. Elian smiled to himself as he nodded, continuing his own searching, until eventually he found an oddly coloured piece of brick. He touched the stone, feeling it give under the slightest bit of pressure. He pressed again, watching the brick slide back into the wall. Underfoot, he could feel a faint rumbling, from the direction of cliff face they were near.

“Okay, I think I found it.” Elian said with a soft chuckle, pulling his hand away, the brick returning to its initial position. He tilted his head to the side, tapping his chin. “At least, I hope so anyway. Either that, or I’ve started a rockslide.” Erik’s snickering followed as Elian leant out past the ruined wall, facing south as his eyes scanned the rocky, mountainous wall.

“Sounds like it could have been either.” Erik chuckled, before pointing out a small rock tunnel that hadn’t been there earlier. “Though it looks like you got lucky.” Erik hopped from the ruined wall, landing carefully among the long grass.

“Luck is all I’ve had so far.” He called after him, hopping down to follow Erik, approaching the small tunnel alongside the rogue. “That and good friends on my side.” Elian teased, bumping hips with the cyan haired man before slipping into the tunnel, making his way down the rocky path carefully. Considering how dingy the place was, and with no light, natural or otherwise, Elian held up his hand, the light of the Luminary’s sigil illuminating the path.

“I’d say its more than luck, partner.” Erik’s voice echoed quietly around them as they moved further down. The incline was fairly steep, only flattening out occasionally, mostly keeping to its near vertical nature until they reached the bottom, the scent of saltwater growing stronger. Waves lapped at the shore as Elian emerged from the dark, eyes squinting at the sudden sunlight. He dropped his hand down, looking around. The beach was pretty much untouched, rocky spires dotting the shallow water, making it near impossible for ships to approach the thin stretch of sand.

“Well whatever it is, it’s worked out again.” Elian pointed down the beach, a ways off in the distance, ruins projected out from the cliff wall, eroded stone pillars rising out of the water like grasping fingers, doing their best to escape the briny depths.

“Where were you when I was a treasure hunter? I could’ve used that luck.” Erik hummed, starting to trudge down the beach.

“Treasure hunter? Thievery isn’t the same thing Erik.” He hummed, following alongside the other man.

“Oh, shut up, it’s totally the same thing. I was technically hunting for treasure.” Erik defended casually.

“Hunting for treasure in castles, owned by other people.” Elian amended as they shared a laugh, growing closer to the ruins.

“Well, I guess I’m back to my old tricks, stealing a crown no less.” Erik murmured. Elian smiled softly, reaching the entrance of the ruins. Peering down into the murky darkness, water trickling down the stairs from the lapping waves.

“Doesn’t look too deep down there.” Elian moved to the side of the entrance, setting his pack down. He rooted around in the bag until he’d found his sapphire pendant, looping it around his neck. “But just in case.” He said, before squeezing it gently, magic enveloping his body, until he was in his underwater gear, turning to face Erik.

“When we go on holiday, that’s all you’re allowed to wear.” Erik said, grinning as he did the same, shifting his outfit to better fare if the ruins were completely submerged.

“I won’t complain, its super comfy! If Veronica finds out, she will kill us though.” He noted amusedly, fastening his sword to his back, nodding towards the entrance. “Ready to go?” Elian asked, eyes pausing in their pass over Erik, getting caught on how he looked in the outfit, sheer fabric barely hiding Erik’s beautiful form. His tan had faded somewhat, the light bronze visible through parts of his outfit.

“Yeah, I’m ready. You on the other hand…” Erik murmured, approaching Elian. The Luminary watched as Erik cupped his cheek affectionately, an amused grin on his lips as he moved past, his hand lingering on Elian, trailing over his jaw before he got far enough away. Elian followed his movements as Erik made his way to the entrance, eyes unwittingly glued to the thief’s hips, the subtle sway drawing his eyes to Erik’s plush rear, only just able to make out the hard lines of the underwear, snuggly tucked into the soft flesh. The sheer turquoise covered up much of his indecency while still making Elian’s mind go into overdrive.

“Ready to do something.” Elian mumbled as he followed, taking careful steps down the slick stone steps, moving into the half sunken ruins.

“What was that, sweetheart?” Erik’s words were teasingly sweet. He’d heard exactly what was said.

“Not a thing, bluebird.” Elian responded in the same tone, smiling a little as they reached the bottom of the stairs. They water pooled up to his shins, thankful that it wasn’t completely full. Elian held his hand up, letting the glow from his sigil shine a light through the dim ruin. He was very relieved that his handy little portable lantern didn’t seem to run out of energy. The bottom of the stairs led into a short hallway, opening up into a central room, pillars holding the room up despite the disrepair.

Erik waded carefully into the room, looking around. “Hey, look at this.” A small dais sat at the centre of the room; a relief carved with words from the ancient Erdreans who crafted the fine architecture around them. “Here lieth King Frederick, first of his name, may his tributes to our glorious kingdom…” Erik seemed to squint, and as Elian peered over his shoulder, he realized why, much of the relief had eroded over time. “It’s faded, but it goes on to mention Lorelei, and calls this place the Coral Sanctum.” Erik commented, looking over his shoulder at Elian.

“Definitely the right place then.” Elian beamed as he pat the thief on the back, moving past him to the door at the far end of the chamber. “Be on your guard, monsters are always a possibility down here.” He looked back to see Erik nod, moving to catch up. Elian turned, and they carefully began their foray into the depths of the Coral Sanctum.

The Sanctum itself was almost labyrinthine in layout, various corridors leading to dead end rooms, likely used well before the place had been abandoned. Luckily for them, the ruin itself was almost bereft of monsters, and those that did make their home in the sodden stone crypt would run at the first sight of the pair. After a while of combing the crypt, they eventually stumbled upon the final antechamber. Walking through the door, the room expanded outwards, carved stone pillars rising from the ground, burrowing into the cave ceiling.

The odd mix of smooth cut stone and craggy cave wall clashed jarringly at the further reaches of the room. An altar had been shaped crudely from the natural, sooty black stone, and atop it, a beautiful crown. The headpiece, similarly to the antechamber, was a jarring mixture of rough and natural multicoloured coral, weaved together by shimmering gold and silver, adorned with glittering jewels.

Erik let out a low whistle, spotting the crown. “Now that’s a beauty. Lorelei’s Crown, definitely not just a fashion piece.” He commented.

“You can feel it too?” There was an undeniable presence to the crown, a constant, comforting wave of energy that seemed to emanate from the headgear.

“It’s almost like your Luminary aura, not quite as strong, or the same really, but it’s similar.” Erik said, tapping his chin thoughtfully. “Marina said it would weaken Levia Thanato and do something to weaken that ‘abyssal influence’ he’s got going on.” Erik said, before the dim light of the room grew darker. “Me and my big mouth.” He mumbled, a trio of dark portals appearing behind them.

“Go, quick!” Elian pulsed his light brighter, catching sight of the path up to the altar, a pair of rickety looking stone stairs on either side of the room. The flash of light revealed yet another feature of the chamber, a pit at the centre of the room, lurking beneath the stairs ominously, shallow water and dangerous looking stalagmites filling the pit. “And be careful!” Elian took the left-hand stair while Erik took the opposite.

Crawling out of one of the nebulous passageways, a group of black scaled mermen appeared, an abyssal version of the common sea creatures. Flanking them from the other two portals, similarly black scaled snake like creatures, another common sight from their travels on the ocean. The Abyssal Mermen and Flythons let out agonizing screeches, with the Mermen slithering to the staircases, attempting to follow as the Flythons spewed out poisonous mist.

“I’ll hold them off!” Erik called, stopping at the middle of the stairs, quickly casting a version of his Rubblerouser spell, magical sigils appearing beneath each of the creatures attempting to stop their progress. One of the Mermen took a swing at Erik, but before it could connect, the magical rock erupted from beneath it, sending it screeching into the pit, the sickening squelch of flesh being enough to tell them it had died.

Elian moved swiftly and carefully, avoiding blasts of fire and poisonous fog as he reached the altar, scooping the crown up in one hand, releasing a quick Zap against the two Mermen climbing the stairs to reach him. The crumbling stone slabs beneath them gave way, dropping them into the pit below. “Got it!” Elian announced.

Erik moved to draw his daggers when the Merman chasing him leapt forward, like a tightly wound spring, propelled forward by its strong tail. It grabbed him by the chest, slamming him into the cave wall. Erik let out a pained gasp as the creature reared back, opening its mouth wide, a maw of razor-sharp teeth glinting in the light. Erik seemed confused, glancing aside to see the crown adorning Elian’s head, gems shimmering with white light.

With the crown on his head, he opened his eyes, pure white and glowing intensely. From his eyes, the light poured out, erupting over the abyssal creatures. The Merman released Erik, letting out a cry akin to fear and pain, the dark scales washing away to reveal the blue beneath, like ink being scrubbed away. With his chance in hand, Erik drew his daggers and dug them into its gut, before kicking it off the edge. “El! You okay?” He yelled over.

Elian dropped to his knees, panting as he pulled the crown off, nodding quickly. “More than okay!” He responded, blue light bursting around him. It had been a long time since he’d been pepped up like this, never needing to do so when he was relaxing in Cobblestone.

“That’s more like it!” As if on cue, Erik’s body became bathed in the same blue glow. “Ready to finish this?” Erik asked as he moved to help him up.

“You bet, let’s try something new! Follow my lead.” Elian stood, holding his hand out to Erik, his Luminary’s sign reacting, bolts of lightning erupting out of his hand. “Go get ‘em bluebird!” Infused with Elian’s lightning bearing powers, Erik rushed forward and leapt across the chasm, bolts dancing across his blades.

“Here it comes!” Erik suddenly divided himself, all three of them launching into a swift lateral spin, like lightning filled whirlwinds descending on the Flythons. The attack was enough to defeat the recently cleansed snake monsters, with Erik’s doppelgangers disappearing shortly after.

Elian smiled, quickly making his way down the stairs to Erik, crown held carefully in one hand as he caught up, rushing to give him a hug. He quickly pulled back when he heard Erik’s groan of pain. “How’s your back?” He asked, frowning as he gently brushed the rogue’s arm.

“Nothing a little healing magic won’t fix.” He assured, managing a smile as Elian quickly and gently stored the crown in his pack, gathering up a bundle of healing magic in his right hand. He looped his arm around Erik’s waist, releasing the wave of healing magic directly to his injured back.

“There we go, good as new.” He said, pressing a quick kiss to his cheek before stepping back, hefting his satchel onto his back.

“Nice new move out there partner, got a name for it? Because that was pretty fun.” He said, sheathing his daggers on his back.

Elian hummed to himself, thinking on the spot for a name for their new Pep Power. “How about Love like Lightning?” He asked, offering a sweet smile as he turned on his heel to approach the door, Erik’s embarrassed spluttering following him as he felt the rogue chase after him.

“You’re so cheesy.” Erik huffed, walking alongside his lover as they navigated their way out of the crypt. Strangely, just using the crown seemed to affect the rest of the Coral Sanctum. As Elian looked around, it seemed lighter, and the air felt less stagnant. Escaping the ruins proved much easier than their previous attempts to explore it, and they were soon out on the beach again, blinding sunlight reflecting off the azure waves before them.

“So, we have a weapon against this thing, but I have no idea how we’re going to get close enough to fight it.” Elian admitted, approaching the shoreline, feeling the cool waves lap at his feet. Peering out on the ocean, it felt strangely calm. It had been a long time since he’d looked at the sea and felt something other than dread.

“We haven’t heard of an attack since the ships Serena told us about, so finding it might be difficult. I don’t think just waiting until it shows itself is a safe plan either.” Erik said softly, standing at Elian’s side, hand resting on his shoulder.

“Maybe we can find some more information somewhere?” Elian asked, though he was grasping at straws, he was unsure of what they could do.

“We could always head back to Sniflheim and check the Royal Library? We know exactly what we’re looking for now, don’t we?” Erik suggested, though the lack of conviction in his voice told Elian that he was just as lost.

“Do we? We only just managed to find something on Levia Thanato, we managed to get something to fight it, but now we’re out of luck.” Elian’s words were tinged with bitterness, catching the look Erik gave him, surprise and a hint of offence. He sighed softly, moving to grasp the rogue’s hand. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to take it out on you.” Elian assured, glancing back at the water.

“I know you didn’t darlin’, relax.” Erik said, chuckling softly as he lifted the Luminary’s hands, pressing a kiss to both before letting go, gesturing out to the sea. “If this thing could be anywhere, we might have to just accept that we’ll have to wait. Unless we could singlehandedly sail a ship out onto the water and wait for it to attack.” Erik joked.

Elian glanced over at him, his eyebrows knitting together in thought. “Wait…”

“I was kidding.” Erik protested quickly, holding his hands up as if to defend himself from the idea he’d planted in Elian’s head.

“But it could work! With these outfits, we’d be safe to draw it into shallow water and escape the ship just before it attacks, and then we’ll have our chance to fight.” Elian enthused, smiling.

“Then we’d be fighting a battle on that thing’s terms, and what if it’s faster than we expect, and it takes out the ship before we can even get ready to leave the ship?” Erik asked, frowning a little.

Elian sighed softly, nodding his agreement. Baiting the beast to them with no real plan of attack would be far too risky, considering they could only bring one ship, any more and it would simply destroy them all, losing them their chance to engage. “Yeah, you’re right.” Elian murmured, running a hand through his hair, brushing the messy brown fringe from his eyes. He really did need to get it trimmed when it was all over.

“Maybe there’s something in the books that we missed. It’s all we’ve got so far, and if there’s not, we could get in touch with Queen Marina again, and see if she has any more information. We _will_ get through this El, promise.” Erik assured him, flashing a quick smile as he retreated from the water’s edge, grasping the pendant to return him to normal.

Elian nodded, doing the same as he returned to his regular clothing, hefting his satchel up onto his back. “The books are still at your place, right? I’m sure we found some information on Levia Thanato in those volumes, maybe you’re right, we might’ve missed something.” Elian agreed. He wouldn’t have been that surprised truthfully, once they’d got the plan to visit Arboria and then Nautica, their reading was quite light, just going back over what they had found in the library.

“Yeah, so we’ll head back there?” Erik asked.

“I think so. Come on, it’s as good a place to start as any.” Elian said, grasping Erik’s hand. With a little focus, and a thrum of magical energy, the pair were sent back to Sniflheim. By the time they’d arrived, the sun was beginning to set. The cool air nipped at his skin, wind whipping at his back.

“I think we’ve got just enough food at home for me to make you a nice meal.” Erik hummed, grasping his hand, dragging him along. Elian was hardly going to argue, letting himself get led to Erik’s house. With Mia staying with friends, they had one less worry that she was left alone. They had only just got back in as the snow began to fall; the evening sky full of pale white clouds.

“I’ll get to work on these books if you’re happy to cook.” Elian hummed, approaching the pile of books they had cleaned up after they left Sniflheim. Thankfully, Queen Frysabel understood the circumstances, and let them keep the books around.

“Always.” Erik chimed, gathering up ingredients to make some sort of meat pie. The last thing Elian noticed was Erik dredging strips of beef in flour before cooking them off with some onion, a delightful smell wafting out of the kitchen as Elian began skimming through the books that he remembered had explicit details on Levia Thanato.

Almost an hour passed, with Erik simmering down a pan full of bubbling beef stock and herbs, thickening it up for the pie, working on a pastry in between that. Elian had worked through most of the books, finding some handy information but not the stuff they really needed. He moved on to one of the other books in their collection, leafing through it as he heard Erik humming. “I think I’m getting somewhere, apparently this thing isn’t fond of fighting. It’s strong, that’s for sure, but back when it was last free, it would influence other monsters to fight on its behalf. Lines up with the fact we haven’t heard anything on it since.” He called over, before setting the book aside.

Erik pulled the pan off the flame, taking a round casserole dish out of one of the cabinets. “Hmm, that would make the most sense.” He said, gathering up the chunks of beef, adding them to the casserole dish before starting to roll out the pastry. “Are there any accounts of them sealing it away?” Erik asked, carefully flattening out the pastry to make a lid.

“Oh, good point! Hopefully there’s something in one of these tomes.” Elian enthused as he grabbed up a few of the books that would most likely involve writing on the sealing. Skimming through each of the various books, he eventually stumbled upon a verse that seemed to be what he was looking for. “Here! It says ‘Our mermaid allies blessed us to walk among the waves with them, and as their leader used the artifact, a horrible dread descended on us. He had come.’ Fairly ominous.” Elian said, tapping his chin.

“The artifact? You’re thinking what I’m thinking, right?” Erik asked, laying the pastry over the top of the casserole dish, slicing off the excess lid, before carefully crimping the edges with his fingers, cutting a small hole in the centre for steam to escape.

“The crown, it must be.” Elian agreed wholeheartedly, watching Erik put the casserole dish in the oven before he approached, coming to sit down next to him. The rogue had a pensive look on his face, and Elian could hardly judge. If it were true, that would mean they could bring the beast to them by using the crown, but it would still mean drawing a terrifying threat right to them.

“We need to be sure that we bring him to a place where we can fight back properly. Somewhere shallow where we could escape if necessary, and somewhere with maybe lots of rocks, places for cover.” Erik suggested. It had been a long time since they’d talked battle tactics, and It flooded his mind with memories of their group, gathered around the fire, discussing who best to put on the front line, their positions in battle, and how best to use their skills. He smiled a little, nodding along.

“Yeah, I agree. Maybe near Nautica? The inner sea has a lot of shallow points, and the surrounding area near the city is full of coral reefs and stone plateaus, it could give us the cover you were looking for.” Elian said, leaning into the couch comfortably, cradling the book in his lap.

“It’s risky, bringing it so close to Nautica, but yeah, that sounds perfect. Can those in Nautica even fight?” Erik asked curiously, not well versed on the kingdom of merpeople.

“Queen Marina is an excellent sorceress, and I know that some of the people living in Nautica are warriors, but I wouldn’t want to involve them that much.” Elian commented, worried that he’d just be needlessly endangering them.

“I understand. We should at least talk with them, before we use their surroundings as a battlefield.” Erik commented.

“Yeah, we should. Maybe they can offer some kind of help.” Elian said, positivity shining through, hoping to himself that Queen Marina could at least support them from the side lines.

“Dinner’ll be ready soon, we can try and get some rest, then make up our minds.” Erik said, leaning over to kiss his cheek before standing up. He started to move before Elian reached out, grasping the cyan haired man’s hand. “Partner?” Erik turned to face him, an inquisitive look on his face.

Elian pushed himself to his feet, swallowing down the lump in his throat. “I meant what I said earlier, in the sanctum.” Elian said, squeezing Erik’s hand softly. The thief looked puzzled for a moment before Elian closed the gap, pressing his lips to Erik’s. They shared a brief kiss before the Luminary took a step back. “Love like Lightning.” Elian smiled, cheeks pink.

Erik seemed to mull it over in his head for a moment, until his eyes widened. Slowly, a soft smile spread across his lips, and he returned the gentle squeeze to his hand. “Me too partner.” He lifted his hand up, pressing a kiss to each of the Luminary’s knuckles, smiling brightly. “I really do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sappy boyfriends won't quite say it yet, but the feelings all there! Thanks for all the wonderful support, and for the 1000 hits, I'm so glad people enjoy this fic, it's made me love writing it even more!


	19. Read to Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted another domestic chapter just because I'm not sure how many more we'll have before the end, plus any excuse to write them being cute together is an excuse I'm gonna take

Elian leaned his arms against the edge of the windowsill, resting his forehead against the cool pane of glass separating him from the raging blizzard outside. Despite the heavy snowfall, it didn’t look quite as violent as the storm that had nearly separated Elian from the city, so he didn’t have to worry about them being stuck in Sniflheim. After their dinner, Elian gathered up the books they had looked through, checking to make sure they were all in order before going to have a bath, after Erik insisted he didn’t need to wait around for him before going to bathe. Elian of course, spluttered like a fool, telling him he wasn’t waiting around for Erik so they could share a bath, even though he absolutely was.

Elian glanced around the room quietly, taking in the surroundings. Erik’s room was fairly nice, plain in a nice way, not too loud, nothing too garish, a comfortable kind of cosy and minimalist. In the two corners opposite the door, sturdy wooden beds sat, large enough for two thankfully, Elian didn’t feel so comfortable with stealing Mia’s bed after all. The dark wood was finished beautifully, intricately carved, contrasted by their choice of bedding. Mia’s was a rich yellow, while Erik’s was a light green, almost the same shade as the rogue’s signature hoodie. On the left-hand side of the room, Erik’s side based on bedding, there was a heavy looking desk, built with a similar wood to the bed, situated under one of the windows. Opposite the desk was the window Elian had situated himself by, and to Elian’s right, a large wardrobe. A heavy rug covered the wooden floor, a weaving pattern snaking its way around the edges, a lustrous purple filling the gaps in between.

It was odd, the feeling of butterflies fluttering up a storm in his stomach. He’d been alone with Erik often enough that he no longer felt that nervous around his boyfriend, but just inspecting his room, waiting for him to show up, he never thought he’d have something like this, something so damn _normal_ , like excitedly waiting in his crush’s bedroom for him to arrive. Even on the eve of what could be a fight for their life, he could still enjoy such simple, domestic pleasures. It was enough to keep him fighting, tooth and nail if need be, to have the chance to feel like this in the future.

He heard creaking next door, an indication that Erik had finished up with his bath. He smiled a little, turning to face the door as Erik nudged the door open, one hand grasping at the towel around his waist, the other wrestling with the door handle, a book in the same hand.

“Need a hand?” Elian asked amusedly as he walked over. He expected Erik to wave him off dismissively, surprised when the weighty red book was tossed at him, scrambling to catch it.

“You’re a life saver.” Erik beamed, approaching the wardrobe. Elian glanced down at the book, recognising it in a pinch, it was the novel Erik had shared with him on their initial trip to Sniflheim a few days ago.

“Am I gonna be reading to you again?” Elian asked, finding no need to hide the eagerness in his tone. He had really enjoyed their initial reading on the ship over, there was something so compelling about the book that he could relate to, plus it gave him an excuse to be close to the rogue. He looked up to see Erik, naked as the day he was born, towel abandoned around his feet as he looked through the wardrobe. Elian’s cheeks burned as he unabashedly gazed him up and down, eyes following the subtle muscle, and the not so subtle curves of his body.

“I thought it’d be nice.” Erik said, looking over as he pulled a pair of plaid pyjama pants out of the wardrobe, eyes flashing with mischief as he smiled. “Unless you’ve got a better idea, that is.” Erik said casually as he turned. He allowed the pyjamas to hang off his arm, his stance perfectly placed to frame the pyjamas so Elian couldn’t catch sight of anything important.

“Of course, I’d love to read to you Erik. I want to get through that book as much as you do.” He assured, smiling through the thoughts of dropping the book and instead picking up Erik. Expecting to catch Erik out, he was surprised to see the thief return the smile, gesturing to the bed.

“Get comfortable then, at least we won’t get interrupted by the ship arriving now.” Erik joked, moving to the desk, laying the pyjama pants on the back of the chair as Elian lay back on the bed, clad in a pair of his boxers, striped blue and white, and a comfortable, loose black shirt.

“The ship was nowhere near as comfortable as this is.” Elian said with a chuckle, watching as Erik descended onto the bed. He shuffled his legs to an angle, propped up by the pillows as Erik got comfortable, laying his head on one of Elian’s thighs, similar to the original time they had read together. The only difference being, they had to adjust their position for both of them to fit on the bed, and Erik was buck naked.

It was oddly intimate, to see Erik like this. He would’ve thought the time in the cabin near Zwaardrust would have felt more intimate to him, but for some reason, seeing Erik completely nude, reclined and humming quietly to himself, as if he had no care in the world, not only was it an enticing sight, it was a sign of his trust. Elian reached down, brushing a hand through Erik’s unruly hair. Despite being just washed and only towel dried, it still poked out in every direction, only slightly damp.

“You alright up there?” Erik’s words were more amused than impatient, craning his neck a little, catching sight of Elian, cheeks pink and eyes focused on his nude lover rather than the book in his hands.

“Couldn’t be better.” Elian smiled in response, taking the book in both hands, relenting that he had to focus on the book rather than his lover, but got started on reading despite it. Like before, Erik lay comfortably, occasionally reaching up to rub at his arm as he stumbled over his words, and would voice his amusement or shock if Elian paused, often because he was experiencing the story at the same time. The main difference was Erik’s hand, lazily caressing his thigh as he read. Surprising himself, he was able to focus on the book more than the soft, teasing touches.

Elian rounded out a chapter as Erik’s touches grew more fervent, a sense of neediness in the brushes. Despite the book blocking his view, he could tell Erik was staring holes through the weighty book. “We got through a fair amount; I’m surprised.” Erik murmured, the brush of his fingertips shifting to the flat of his palm, rubbing against the exposed flesh.

“Yeah, I’m sure we took much longer on the boat.” Elian agreed, feeling the touches intensify. The chapter had ended off quite satisfyingly, it wasn’t the type to urge you to read more, so he could have happily closed the book, and indulged in Erik’s not so subtle advances. “Ready for me to keep reading?” He tested the waters, hiding his grin behind the book as he waited for Erik’s response. He felt the gentle grip against his thigh, before Erik’s voice followed.

“You bet.” He was as breezy as could be, but Elian knew the other man better than anyone. Elian decided to test how far he could get, steadily working his way through the pages as he felt Erik move.

“Getting comfortable?” Elian hummed amusedly as he felt his legs get moved, the obvious presence of Erik between his thighs.

“Mhm, much better now.” Erik lay his head down against Elian’s hip, lazily draping an arm up to cover Elian’s body, the other tucking in as his hand grasped at the Luminary’s thigh, gently rubbing up and down, squeezing gently at the unyielding muscle. Elian felt Erik’s breath fanning out against his obvious bulge. He’d managed to keep himself calm under Erik’s ministrations, but this new approach was going to be way more effective, he could already tell.

Elian pushed through, focusing on the words on the page as Erik’s hands gripped at the edges of his boxers. In one swift movement, he was free of the stripy underwear, almost squeaking and interrupting his words. He’d hardened up halfway, the breath against his clothed flesh being much more effective than he’d anticipated. “Should I pause?” Elian asked sarcastically as he felt Erik grasp at his cock, his toes curling as the urge to toss the book aside grew.

“Nope.” Erik got rid of his underwear properly before he settled comfortably between his thighs, propping Elian’s legs up on his thighs. “You keep on going, just one more chapter.” Erik purred out as he kissed a lazy trail up his semi hard shaft, swirling his tongue eagerly around the tip, gathering up whatever precum had oozed out before clasping his lips around the head.

Elian let out a soft groan of protest before his eyes managed to refocus. Challenge accepted, your gorgeous blue fuck. Elian began to speak, recounting the tales of adventures as Erik’s lips descended down his cock, feeling it stiffen in his lovers’ mouth. This was _not_ the way he’d expected their night to go. Elian panted softly between sentences, carefully squeezing his thighs around Erik’s head as the rogue let go of his shaft, letting his mouth do the work as his hands dipped under him, squeezing eagerly at Elian’s plush rear. He slowly lowered the book a bit, until he could catch sight of Erik, his head dipped down to happily swallow all of him down, his nose nestled into the Luminary’s well-groomed pubes. He began to read quicker, holding the book in one hand as his other hand became preoccupied, fingers threading into the mess of blue hair, rolling his hips upwards.

“Done!” Elian announced proudly, finishing off the thankfully short chapter before chucking the book aside, sinking more comfortably into the pillows as his other hand moved to cup Erik’s cheek, the other still in the rogue’s hair as he thrust himself upwards, whining out softly.

Erik seemed happy to let Elian set the pace for now, speeding up when his grip got tighter, following the eager directions to the T. Elian carefully let his hair go as he felt the rogue pull back, watching as he panted for breath, saliva coating his soft pink lips. “You know I love it when you’re eager, but…” Erik hefted Elian’s legs off his shoulders, guiding him onto his stomach. “It’s my turn to indulge.”

Elian’s cheeks burned as he lay himself down against the bed, wrapping his arms comfortably around one of the pillows beneath him, arching his back a little. A few weeks ago, the idea of doing something like this would have mortified him, but knowing just how into it Erik was excited him beyond belief. “I feel like you were indulging yourself quite a bit.” Elian hummed before Erik’s hands grasped at him, spreading him apart.

“Guilty as charged.” He hummed out as he leant down, his tongue eagerly brushing up against the Luminary’s pink hole. Elian gasped out, unable to hold back. It had been quite a while since Erik had last done this, and getting another go at the intense feeling shooting through him, it was something he had half a mind to ask for more often.

“Keep going.” He groaned out, pushing his hips back. Erik seemed eager to please, his hands gripping at the soft, supple flesh as he pressed his tongue eagerly against Elian. He forced himself to relax, panting softly as he propped himself up slightly on his knees, delighted moans escaping as he reached back to stroke his hand through his lover’s hair, panting softly. After he’d managed to relax himself, Erik slid his tongue, giving Elian’s plump rear a gentle, testing spank.

The noise that escaped Elian seemed to only spur Erik on, the thrusts of his tongue growing more eager as he gave Elian’s rear a few more eager slaps. Elian buried his face into the pillow he was currently clutching, cheeks burning as a keening whine escaped his lips. It always embarrassed him, to hear himself make such wanton noises, but judging by the fact that Erik picked up the pace, tongue sliding inside him as his hands groped and slapped at his rear, he must have liked it.

Despite Erik saying he was the one indulging, Elian definitely felt more indulgent. He could feel sweat beading against his heated skin, undeniably red from his embarrassment, back arched to show his excitement, his black shirt hiked up to his chest, giving Erik more access. He even started to rock his hips back, feeling Erik bury deeper as he did so, slipping a hand down between the bed and his chest, grasping at the leaking erection he’d been trying to ignore. He wanted this to last, but with how _thorough_ Erik was being, there was no chance of that.

Erik finally pulled back for air, soft pants escaping his lips. Elian looked over his shoulder, biting his bottom lip at the sight. His hair was in even more disarray than usual, cheeks flushed, eyeing Elian’s ass like he owned it. A jolt of arousal ran through him from seeing it, before Erik reached forward, rubbing his thumb up against him. “How are you holding up?” Erik asked, already knowing the answer as Elian’s hips acted of their own accord, pushing back, desperate for more attention.

“I’m so damn close Erik, please, I want you inside.” Just speaking that allowed made it feel like his skin was going to erupt into flames, he had never felt this warm or blush covered in his life. It certainly seemed to light a fire under Erik, who leant down against his back, stealing a kiss as his hand reached for the drawer, sliding it open as he frantically searched for the lube he’d stashed away. As Erik lay against him, he felt him brush up between his cheeks, shuddering a little. Elian smiled into the kiss as he pushed back, moaning against his lover’s lips as Erik rubbed up between him, feeling the rogue rock his hips as he desperately searched, finally pulling back with the bottle in hand.

“You’re sure?” Erik asked softly, coating two of his fingers with the lube from the bottle, carefully rubbing his middle finger against Elian’s entrance.

The Luminary nodded quickly, toes curling as he relaxed himself, feeling Erik slide his finger inside. It had been a _long_ time since he’d had something like this happen, and the last time it was his own fingers, so he could take his time with it. It was a little uncomfortable to begin with, but thankfully Erik had prepped him a little with his tongue, so that discomfort quickly melted into pleasure. “By Yggdrasil, that feels so fucking good.” Elian mumbled, burying his face in the pillow. He really wasn’t a fan of how easily he came undone at Erik’s simple touches and actions. And by not a fan, he really meant quickly becoming obsessed with the sensations.

“Tut tut El, such a filthy mouth.” Erik’s scolding words were punctuated by the gentle thrust of his fingers, grinding his thick cock up against one of the Luminary’s plush cheeks eagerly, beads of precum dripping down against him with the excited thrusting. Erik carefully added a second finger, Elian’s moans growing with intensity of Erik’s preparations.

“Come on Erik, stop teasing.” He groaned, nudging himself back as well as he could, feeling Erik’s fingers spreading apart inside him. Erik’s amused smirk was practically audible as the rogue removed his fingers, replacing them with the head of his cock, rubbing it against his well prepped hole.

“Your wish is my command.” He hummed, resting a hand against Elian’s hip as he guided himself in, taking at slow as he could manage.

“Ohh fuck.” Elian buried his face back into the pillow, biting down on his bottom lip. Thankfully, Erik was slow and considerate as he adjusted to the thickness and length filling him up. Elian reached down between his legs to grasp at himself, stroking himself as Erik bottomed out inside, starting to rock his hips.

“Language.” Erik hummed, leaning down against Elian’s back, wrapping an arm around his chest as the other hand held onto his hip, slowly picking up the pace as Elian was reduced to a moaning mess. The Luminary looked over his shoulder, smiling at his lover as they shared a kiss, moans muffled against each other’s lips as they quickly ramped up. Elian had matched pace with Erik, pushing back against each thrust, stroking himself as slowly as he could without going mad.

“Shut up.” Elian groaned against the sheets as Erik gave his rear a few rough slaps, each sending pleasurable spikes through Elian’s body until he finally came undone, shooting all over his hand, some splattering down against the sheets. Erik didn’t take much longer, the pleasurable squeeze around him quickly pushing him over the edge, thrusts growing erratic as he rode out his orgasm inside Elian.

Elian felt his lover flop down against his back, hot pants fanning against his skin as the rogue groaned. Elian smiled down against the pillow before looking to his side, just about able to see Erik attempting to catch his breath. “El… I really shouldn’t have bothered with a bath, huh?” He asked.

Elian let out a breathless chuckle, smile growing as he nodded. “Looks that way, I’m regretting having mine now.” He mumbled as Erik steadily pulled out. Elian shuddered at the feeling, blushing when he caught sight of Erik staring, seeming enraptured. “Quit it.” He murmured, rolling onto his back, avoiding kicking Erik as he did, resting a leg either side of him.

“We’re gonna have to clean these sheets. Especially now.” He pointed out, grinning a little as he leant down. Elian leaned up to meet him, kissing him slowly, smiling against his lips. He flopped back, nodding.

“How about you go run us a bath, and I’ll strip the sheets. It’s mostly my fault anyway.” He pointed out with a chuckle, one that Erik shared.

“Deal, we can make the bed once we’re finished.” Erik assured, before whisking away to run them a bath. Elian lay there for a moment, smiling to himself before nodding, getting to work. It was almost an hour before the pair were back in bed, the window had been cracked open a touch, cooling the room down as they bathed. Once they were done, they shared the job of making the bed, before they cuddled up together, a fresh sheet keeping their nude bodies warm.

Elian had almost drifted off before looking down, Erik’s head resting against his shoulder. He squeezed gently, smiling. “Hey, Erik?” He asked softly, voice already tinged with sleep.

“Mhm?” Erik murmured against his shoulder, arms lazily draped over his chest, the other tucked under his pillow.

Elian paused for a minute, thinking to himself. He didn’t know if it really needed said, but he sighed, leaning forward to kiss the top of his head. “I really like you.” He said softly, before leaning back again, arms looped protectively around Erik’s hips.

Erik’s quiet laughter rumbled against him all the same, as he looked up. “I’d hope so, after the night we just had.” He pointed out, getting comfortable again. “I like you too dummy. A lot.” He hummed. He felt Erik’s breathing grow more even, a smile crossing his face as he pulled the sheets up a bit further, holding Erik close as he fell into a fitful slumber.

Next thing he knew, sunlight was beaming down against his closed eyes. He groaned a little, cracking an eye open. The sun had only just peeked over the walls surrounding Sniflheim, glinting in Elian’s eyes as he looked away, focusing instead on the rogue laying against his chest. He smiled softly, brushing his fingers through his hair.

With their plans hinging on whether or not they could summon a colossal beast, and whether or not they survived said summoning, they had some time to figure out their plan. It meant that they could at least take it easy in the time between. It was a few more minutes before Erik began to stir, groaning as he rolled off of Elian, sitting up. “Morning.” Elian hummed, smiling up at him.

Erik’s early morning grumpiness started to fizzle away as he looked back, returning the smile. “Morning to you too. Breakfast?” He asked. Elian nodded eagerly.

“Then we get started?” There was apprehension, clear in his voice as he pushed past it, sitting up next to Erik. Getting started meant getting ready for a fight against an enemy that he didn’t know yet. He was afraid.

Erik seemed to share his concerns, but as their eyes met, he smiled. “Yeah, sounds good.” He agreed, kissing Elian’s cheek before hopping out of the bed, shuffling over to his wardrobe.

“Uh, can I make a request?” Elian asked, eyes trailing up and down Erik’s back as he walked.

“Only the apron?” Erik asked amusedly, grinning as he turned to face him.

“You know me too well.” El hummed sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. He was going to enjoy their time as much as he could before they faced the unknown.

“Yes, I do.” Erik blew him a kiss, winking before he spun around, strutting out of the room, his confident swagger only managing to make Elian’s smile widen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Elian getting rimmed has become my new favourite thing. That's pretty much all I have to say. Thanks for reading!


	20. Revelations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An Erik-centric chapter for today as we draw closer to the end!

It was an odd sensation to get used to, swallowing down water as if it were air. Elian kept scolding him, telling him to just breathe like he would on the surface, but he couldn’t help but gasp and splutter for a few moments once they arrived down in Nautica. It felt natural, but every fibre of his being was telling him it wasn’t, his mind fighting against him, a continuous case of mind over matter. Slowly, Erik got a hold of himself, managing to breathe deeply through his nose. That felt even weirder, mind you, but it helped him to relax. Nautica was being promptly struck off his list of potential honeymooning locations. The thought caused a subtle blush to creep up his face. Focus, damn it!

“Erik, are you sure you want to handle this? You’re clearly not a fan of being underwater like this.” Elian’s voice was like a slap to the face, rousing him from his thoughts. He looked across, catching sight of worry, etched into his lover’s soft features. He really did hate seeing Elian’s face like that, especially when he was the cause of it.

“El, in the past few hours since you woke up, you decided to personally get in touch with everyone, tell them the battle plan in case, and I quote, ‘we don’t come back’, you’re going out to scour weapon shops for better gear for us, gathering supplies, making sure our armour is in good condition, hell you even tried to use Perfectionists’ Pearls on my underwear.” Erik gave Elian a stern look as bashful embarrassment became apparent on Elian’s face. “And I was still wearing them.” Erik added for good measure, cracking a grin as Elian barely suppressed his snickers.

“Okay, okay.” Elian sighed, relenting.

“You’re stressed to the gills, no pun intended, just let me do this for you. It’s one less thing for you to worry your pretty little head over.” Erik hummed teasingly, leaning in to place a reassuring kiss against Elian’s lips. The Luminary responded in kind, feeling the briefest touch of Elian’s hand to his face, an affirmative noise passing from his lips to Erik’s before they pulled away.

“I know, I know. I really do appreciate it bluebird.” Elian patted his cheek, before taking a step back, eyes taking on a cheeky glint. “Bet you’re just down here to ogle at Queen Marina.” Elian’s tone was clearly joking, though it didn’t stop Erik from huffing indignantly. It was something Erik and Elian did to each other a lot when they were travelling, tease each other about pretty women despite the fact they were both painfully into men, and each other it turned out. Erik had an interest in women, for sure, but he was much more interested in other men, it’d always been how he felt when it came to relationships, and with Elian returning his feelings, he was hardly going to change that now.

“Why would I go looking at fish while I’ve got some prime beef right here?” Erik hummed, crossing the distance to wrap his arms around Elian, squeezing him close. By Yggdrasil, so cheesy that it could have actually killed him.

“I’m gonna ignore the fact that you’re calling one of our most trusted allies a fish, and that I’m apparently a piece of meat…” Elian started, more amused than offended, leaning in to press a second kiss to Erik’s lips. “And instead just thank you again for doing this, hopefully so you stop saying such stupid stuff.” Elian added, grinning a little as he shuffled back, looking up. Erik followed his eyes to the surface above. It was early morning, the low rising sun casting beams of warm light through the ocean, covering the small ravine they were stood in, just outside of Nautica.

“You’re so kind to ignore my flaws.” Erik responded, grinning a little. “Now stop worrying, I won’t say anything that stupid to the queen, I promise.” Erik assured, squeezing the other man’s hands gently.

Elian nodded, smiling as he returned the squeeze before stepping back. “I’ll give you about an hour, I should have managed to get to everyone by then.” Elian said, to which Erik happily agreed. An hour was more than enough time to explain their strategy to Queen Marina and hopefully win her favour, and more importantly, her support.

“Sounds good to me.” Erik agreed, offering a little wave as Elian cast Zoom. Surrounded by blue magic, the hero before him disappeared, heading off to Heliodor first, if Erik was remembering correctly. No doubt, the other man was going to visit Cobblestone to see Amber and assure her that he was okay, and that knowledge brought some comfort. If anything happened to Elian, having to tell Amber would break him. He shook free the sorrowful thoughts, and instead pushed forward, heading into Nautica. The seas were much brighter, and in direct comparison, the city was beautiful in natural sunlight. He walked through the city swiftly, though he held his head high, unable to hide under his hood down here.

By the time Erik had reached Queen Marina’s chambers, some of that worry and fear had reared its ugly head. Would she even want to speak with someone that wasn’t the Luminary? He was just part of Elian’s life, he was no replacement for Yggdrasil’s chosen, that was for sure. He swallowed down his nerves, kneeling down in front of the queen. He missed the smile on her lips.

“Stand, please. Such unnecessary formality does not put me at ease.” Marina’s melodic voice had a hint of amusement to it. Erik nodded and stood from his position of respect, offering a grin.

“Thank you, your majesty.” He said, before beginning his explanation of why he was there. He recounted how he and Elian had managed to recover Lorelei’s crown, and their plan to lure Levia Thanato to a shallow seabed to face off against him. She rightly assumed that they wanted to bring the creature close to Nautica for the fight. She clearly knew the risk, commenting on the abyssal corruption that exuded from its very being, how it could affect anything and everything, even the very world itself if left unchecked. If they failed, Nautica would fall to corruption.

“I understand, Luminesced, your plea. We of Nautica were once mighty warriors and shall not flee.” She spoke resolutely as she floated up off of her throne, gesturing her hand upwards to the gap in the wall that led deeper into Nautica’s caverns. “We will dredge up our instruments of war and stand in wait. To rally behind you and the Luminary, no matter our fate.” Her words filled him with equal parts dread and confidence. Having Nautica’s support would be necessary to ensure that they have their best shot at defeating Levia Thanato, but her wording was cause for concern. _No matter our fate._ Erik nodded resolutely, taking a step back.

“Thank you, truly. Our friends are trying to help all over the world, we may be the only ones that can fight the creature. Your help could decide whether we succeed or not.” Erik hadn’t meant for his words to be so heavy, but as they grew closer to final confrontation, it was nearly impossible not to feel the pressure mounting. He refused to give into that fear, and instead continued to chat with Queen Marina, discussing specific times and strategies they were going to employ to deal with Levia Thanato, and finally, promised that Lorelei’s crown would be returned to Nautica once it was all over. He really was the world’s worst thief at this point.

Once he’d promised away one of his new favourite treasures, Erik left the palace, walking through the town to explore. It was strange, being able to move through the water with such ease, swimming up from walkway to walkway, exploring and chatting with various people that stopped to talk with him. He ended up in the item shop, a red-headed mermaid with darkened skin was floating behind a well-stocked desk, laden with various water-resistant items. He looked over the stock quietly, thinking that having some Yggdrasil leaves and maybe some dew would be a lifesaver in a pinch.

“You’re the Luminesced, aren’t you? This is a great honour, that much is true.” Mermaids didn’t usually man the shops in Nautica, Elian had told him as much, so to see one greeting him was a surprise, and a disappointment. He had _really_ wanted to talk to a shark.

“Uh yeah, that’s me.” Erik said sheepishly, still not used to the title. Despite the foreign title, it instilled a gentle sense of warmth in his chest. A title that displayed his link to Elian was always welcome in his mind. “You can just call me Erik though, if that makes you feel any better.” Erik looked over the items on display, expression shifting to pensiveness as he got lost in thought. They’d had a chance to tell each other a few days ago, but something had stopped him. It wasn’t that he didn’t love Elian, in fact it was the complete opposite, he just found it difficult to put those thoughts into words.

“You look troubled. Forgive me if my speech had caused your concerns to be doubled.” She looked apologetic, clasping her hands to her chest, bowing a little. It seemed that the title of Luminesced brought some weight with it. It made him feel mildly uncomfortable, not used to such strange respect from someone he truthfully saw as an equal. Was this how Elian felt all the time? He had a newfound sense of respect for Elian, heaped onto the mountain of respect he already felt for the hero.

“Oh, no, no need to worry, it’s not your fault.” Erik said quickly, worried he’d hurt her feelings. “It’s strange, being known as the one the Luminary loves, we haven’t even said it to each other.” He added, for good measure. He didn’t mind it so much, his feelings were fairly obvious by now, but it didn’t help alleviate some of those deep-rooted worries. “I just… I’m worried that when I tell him, it’ll all become too real.” Erik admitted quietly. It wasn’t the whole truth, but it was as close as he could put into words. Telling Elian was going to happen no matter what, and he doubted his love would ever fade, even after he told the other man, but once it was out in the open, he had so much more to lose. It made such little sense, but he couldn’t help but feel that way.

“Your feelings will always be real, no matter when you say. And I have seen the way the Luminary looks at you, hearing those words would surely make his day.” She pointed out, smiling softly. His cheeks went pink at her words, and he couldn’t help but smile in return. He knew she was right, of course, but it wasn’t so easy.

“Haven’t you ever had someone that you struggle to tell something to? Do you have someone you love?” He asked. It was quite a personal question, he knew that much, and really wouldn’t have been surprised if she refused to speak on it. He carefully picked up a bottle of watertight leaves, looking them over as the woman mulled over his question.

“… Yes. Knowing her, it truly makes my life blessed.” She said softly, smiling to herself as she gestured out towards the city through the door. “I used to dream of leaving Nautica, exploring the seas as long as my body would let. I would have done so, if not for Annette.” The mermaid spoke softly, her words resonating with Erik. She didn’t seem disappointed by her change of direction, in fact, her face seemed to bloom with happiness whenever she thought on it.

“So, you’ve told her about this? How you feel?” Erik asked curiously, seeing that the mermaid across from him was comfortable talking about such things. He picked up two bottles of Yggdrasil dew, setting them aside with the sealed package of leaves. Her blush told him enough, as she looked away from the other man, chewing her bottom lip. “Heh, guess you can’t follow your own advice, huh?”

Erik immediately regretted his words, thinking he’d been much too harsh in his words, but then she laughed. It was a refreshing sound and put him at ease. This was a much better interaction in his opinion, where he wasn’t expected to be above anyone, where he could speak to her as an equal. Perhaps castle life wasn’t quite for him, maybe he could whisk Elian away to a peaceful life in Cobblestone rather than Dundrasil whenever it was eventually rebuilt.

“A fair point, Erik. Following my own advice seems a simple thing, but it’s quite a trick.” She sighed, glancing down at the small collection of supplies, counting up the price for each, before Erik graciously handed the coins across. It was spare change, after the adventures they had, so it wasn’t too much of a strain on his wallet.

“I never asked your name, since you’ve got me on a first name basis.” Erik pointed out, gathering up his supplies.

“Oh, my name is Leah.” It was a rare moment, to see a mermaid respond outside of rhyming couplets, so Erik felt himself lucky to have witnessed it. He flashed her a bright smile.

“Well Leah, anyone who’s willing to change their way in life because of love, is absolutely deserving of it. Tell her how you feel.” He said, it was one of those rare moments where Erik didn’t put up any walls, hide any of his sincerity for fear of scrutiny, or act the fool. In Leah, he saw a mirror, a person so afraid of their own feelings and how those feelings will affect those around them. He was ready. “I know I’ll tell Elian, the first chance I get.” Erik resolved to ensure that the Luminary knew just how much he meant.

“Thank you, your words are so kind. I wish you luck, with everything, you will find it in time.” Leah returned his smile, waving to the rogue as he left the shop, approaching the edge of the ravine Elian had left him in. It had been almost an hour since they had arrived, and within a few minutes, the familiar thrum of Zoom sounded, with Elian landing just in front of him. His eyes were a little red, seeming to have just gotten done crying. Erik went rigid, almost dropping his carefully held supplies, rushing to his side.

“El, what’s wrong? Who made you cry? I’ll cut them up. Even if it’s Jade, you _know_ I’d fight her.” Erik’s words were slightly frantic, and he immediately regretted his words. Fighting Jade would have been an awful idea, one thief versus Heliodor. He’d do it, if it meant stopping Elian from crying.

Elian couldn’t help but laugh, shaking his head quickly. “I’m fine Erik, relax.” He said quickly, moving to his side, squeezing his arms gently, leaning over to press a kiss to his lips. “I just, seeing everyone again, with everything’s that’s going on, it was tough. I visited mum too.” He explained. Erik’s body relaxed when he realized what was going on, nodding.

“I’d offer you a hug but I’m kinda full up.” He said sheepishly, lifting the bundle of goods up to indicate what he was talking about.

“Alright, let’s get you up to the surface, we’ll get set up.” Elian said, taking his lover’s arms in his hands. Within moments, they were stood on solid, waterless ground, grass underfoot. They had landed by the campsite just outside of Arboria, perched atop the cliff, looking out on the First Forest. Elian shifted his outfit back to normal, setting his pack down on the ground for Erik to put his supplies were away. As soon as they had done what they needed to, Erik gathered the taller man up into a tight hug, face buried into his shoulder as he pulled him in close.

“It’s all gonna be over soon, and we’ll be back to seeing them whenever we want. This fight won’t be the end, I promise you that.” Erik pulled back, hands squeezing at Elian’s biceps firmly as he looked him in the eyes. “I promise.” Erik’s words were full of fire as he managed to smile, rubbing at his arms. He could see Elian’s face shift, his worries melting away as his cheeks went pink.

“You have no idea how much I appreciate you, Erik.” Elian leant down the cross the gap, their lips connecting in a chaste kiss, full of feeling despite the brief contact. Erik’s cheeks went pink, his passion diminishing as he felt the nerves creep in.

“I uh, I hope I do, actually.” Erik said, looking up at him again.

“Huh? What do you mean?” Elian asked, seeming confused by his purposefully vague words.

“I love you. I… I love you El, it’s why I’m gonna live. It’s why we’re both going to live. I refuse to lose you.” Erik’s gut felt hollow, fear gnawing at the edges of his very being. The silence felt like it stretched for hours, rather than mere seconds.

“I love you too Erik.” Those words brought his world back to focus, the sounds of nature around them crashing into his ears as their eyes met. Dark sapphire on lighter turquoise, Elian’s hand on his cheek, searing like a brand, but so loving that it was almost overwhelming. “I’ve loved you for so long, and so hard, sometimes it hurt to even look at you, because you weren’t _mine_ , I felt so guilty.” Erik felt tears prick at the corners of his eyes as Elian spoke, reaching up to grasp his hand in his, moving it away from his cheek.

“You don’t have to feel guilty anymore. I am yours, if you’ll be mine?” Erik asked, smiling a little as the Luminary nodded frantically. He moved forward, pushing up onto his tip toes as they met again, this kiss far more passionate, soft exchanges muttered between breaths as they revelled. After a few moments, they stepped back from one another, soft pants escaping.

“We should uh, probably get ready to keep moving, huh?” Elian always did that, pushed on past his awkwardness instead of stewing in it, face shining with a beaming smile. In that moment, Erik realized he had never seen Elian quite so happy before. He always wore his heart on his sleeve, and his emotions were never a secret to anyone, but he’d never seen that same level of delight on his face before. It was such a warm feeling, to know it was _him_ that caused Elian to smile like that. His love was causing Elian to shine like the sun, and it was something he’d never thought he would ever see.

He felt Elian’s hand on his cheek again, barely even recognising that he had moved. He brushed his thumb up against his cheek, smearing tears against his skin. He hadn’t noticed he’d started crying either. He could vaguely recognise Elian’s concerns question, pressing a hand to his chest gently.

“I’m okay, I’m okay.” He assured softly, looking up at him. “Sorry. They’re happy tears, I promise.” Erik wiped them away without another care, knowing that if he could stick with Elian through it all, there was bound to be more.

“Good, having you cry sad tears after such a great kiss would be worrying.” Elian’s pride flared in his words, but he couldn’t argue. For a country boy from the back neck of nowhere, damn could he kiss. Damn could he do a lot of other things too, if he was being truthful.

“So, where’s our best bet for equipment?” Erik asked, Since Calasmos fell, armour and weapons had continued to improve, but less were being made as often. It had quickly become a quality over quantity conundrum, most good armourers and weaponsmith carried a variety of weapons now, from a dull iron blade to a magically enhanced rapier. Expanding their stock to match those around the world continued to help ensure that people had good access to defences if the worst came to pass.

“I think the Havens Above is still our best bet for armour and things like that, though I won’t need a new weapon.” Elian said, nodding back to the blade sheathed on his back. A blade imbued with Yggdrasil’s power was pretty hard to beat, Erik had to agree. He nodded, thinking to himself. His blades weren’t too bad, but they had no idea how strong this thing would be, if it was stronger than Calasmos, he’d have to adjust accordingly. And he’d be ready for it.

“Lead the way partner, I think you’re right.” He reached out and took Elian’s hands, squeezing them gently.

“I’m getting sick of casting this spell.” Elian joked, to which Erik shared a chuckle before they were sent into the skies. They returned to solid ground; it was just strange to know that the solid ground was floating in the sky. The home of the Watchers was a curious place, islands floating amidst the clouds, safe from the struggles of the land below. Erik glanced around once they landed, gazing at the clear blue skies that stretched out for miles. He made note of their surroundings. Nautica may have been off the honeymoon list, but an island like this, that could work.

They began to walk, Elian blissfully unaware of Erik’s thoughts on the topic of their potential marriage. They talked about Elian’s experience visiting the others in the group, silently relieved that everyone was doing well. He told them all where they’d be fighting Levia Thanato, even before Erik had secured their deal, having that much faith in him. Erik scolded him for said faith, though thanked him either way. It was a comforting feeling, knowing that Elian trusted him so much. With everyone on board with the plan, they had all promised to do their best to help if they could. Elian assured that helping the world came first, with the crown in hand, and Nautica’s defences rallying behind them, he seemed confident. Erik was too, but he couldn’t help but worry. He pushed it aside. They made their way into the central building in the Havens Above, the stalls lined with armours and weapons, glittering and freshly polished.

“Well then.” Erik hummed, cracking his knuckles before pulling out a hefty bag of gold. “May Mia forgive me for shopping without her.” He could hear Elian laugh behind him as he got stuck in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They finally said it! I'm surprised I got through 20 chapters without them saying it properly to each other, it may not be real slowburn but emotionally, its there lmao hope everyone is enjoying, I appreciate all the reads, comments and kudos! Thank you all c:


	21. Tip of the Spear

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big ol' chapter today, because we are ALMOST done.

Elian sheathed his sword, looking across the small room they’d been offered at the inn in the Havens Above. Erik’s outfit was much and such the same as his usual outfit, but underneath his green hoodie, glistening chainmail, durable and lightweight while affording excellent mobility, the sheen of magic obvious at a glance, enchanted with greater protections than regular metal. His usual boots had been replaced by enchanted steel boots, helping to make him faster on his feet. Despite the fact that they wouldn’t be able to see their new armour once they shifted to their underwater equipment, he couldn’t help but appreciate the fine craftsmanship of Erik’s new gear. At least they’d have some time to appreciate their gear before the final fight got underway. He had a pair of newly crafted knives, sharper than he’d ever seen, feeling like even a gentle touch would break skin, without any real force behind it.

“You’re staring again.” Erik’s words had obvious amusement in them as he sheathed his knives on his hips, looking over his shoulder. “Should I be offended that I didn’t feel you staring this much when I was undressed?” Erik asked, grinning over at him. The grin grew as Elian felt his face grow hot.

“Am I not allowed to appreciate nice armour and weapons? This stuff looks great.” Elian defended himself, having missed the enjoyment of buying and testing out weapons and armour. It was a secret love of his, the appreciation of well-crafted items, it’s why he still carried the Fun-Sized Forge around with him, he could always practice his abilities.

“Appreciate your own.” Erik teased, sticking his tongue out as he turned to finish skimming through his pack for supplies. Elian’s chest had been obscured by plate, much of his armour leaning towards heavy to compliment Erik’s swift, light armour. Fastened to his arm, a shield emblazoned with a visage of a goddess, perfect for physical defence and elemental. Elian knelt down, picking up the open-faced helmet, sliding it over his hair, clearing his throat. Deep in his gut, he could feel dread. The group knew where they were going, and Erik had secured their time with Nautica. The mermaids would be ready on the ridges by Nautica to help them when necessary.

Elian and Erik had agreed that two days’ time would be the perfect amount of time for them to get ready for their fight. Queen Marina had gotten the assurance of her advisors that in two days, at the break of noon, the seas would be at their calmest, and the coral forest near Nautica would have the most natural light they could manage. The magic that told them this was apparently near one hundred percent accurate, and they’d have their chance at a fight. Elian would have called that kind of luck miraculous, but he didn’t expect it to continue into their fight.

“Appreciating you is always easier.” Elian replied after a few moments, catching the fleeting grin from Erik as he slung his satchel over his shoulders. “Are you ready to get going? If this plan of yours is gonna work, we’ll have to be up bright and early.” Elian smiled as Erik nodded, crossing the space between them to take his hand.

“You think the idea is good?” Erik asked, seeming unsure of himself. Elian nodded, squeezing his hand gently.

“Best idea we’ve got honestly, and some training wouldn’t go amiss.” Elian said with a nod. With a blink, they were gone.

As the sun fell, they ate together, talking around the elephant in the camp. Elian was impressed that they managed to avoid the topic, impressed and relieved. For the longest time, he told himself they should just stop avoiding it, and just speak freely, but the closer it grew, the less eager he was to face the fact that they could die.

As the sun died in the sky, streaks of orange fading to darkness, the twinkle of stars replaced the flames that had only just disappeared from their view. Elian lay back exploring each and every star in the sky as he felt Erik’s arms around him, head resting against his chest. Gentle words passed between them, quiet and loving as they faded from consciousness. Sleep didn’t come easy, but it came nonetheless, and like nothing, the sun rose again.

Elian felt like he was on autopilot, not truly making his decisions or his movements, as if he knew what was coming, and he was just letting his body guide him forward instead of putting much thought into it. Once he had put his armour back on, Elian stepped out of the confines of the camp. The sands shifted underfoot, thankful that his heavy armour didn’t make him sink any further. He could hear Erik shift behind him, the rustle of his chainmail clear to hear as the rogue got ready.

Erik arrived at his side, resting his hands on his hips. “I’m ready if you are.” Erik spoke, and Elian nodded in agreement. They travelled north into the Celestial Sands, far enough from the cliff that they couldn’t see the ocean, and far enough from the ruins that they’d have the space. Clear line of sight on all approaches.

Elian set down his pack, carefully taking Lorelei’s crown out. If they were going to fight Levia Thanato and get rid of his abyssal strength, he had to get a handle on how to use the crown effectively. Knowing that it was drawn to the strength of the crown, Erik had the idea of trying to coax the creatures affect by Levia Thanato out into the open to fight. He removed his helmet, dropping it in the sand by his pack. Buying a shiny new helmet had been a bit of an oversight, but new armour was always welcome.

He carefully adorned himself with the crown, a strange pulse of energy digging through his body as he focused himself, panting softly. He could still see, but the edges of his vision were coated in glowing white. His heart hammered in his chest; the energy difficult to control. It was nothing like Yggdrasil’s power, that came from within, and he was the conduit, guiding it out. With the power of Lorelei’s crown, he felt like the power was focused in the crown, digging into him, using him as a way to let the power out.

“Ready.” Elian had gotten a hold of himself, soft pants escaping his lips as he drew his sword. He could do this. It would just need practice. As if on cue, portals opened ahead of them. Lurking out of the darkness, a horde of Prestidigitators appeared. The group of small humanoids were wrapped in dark robes, a strand of blue fabric cinched around their waists. Elian recognised the monsters, though these were all wielding small, coral crusted sickles, wickedly sharp and seeking blood. Elian narrowed his eyes, a pulse of pure white light surging forward. Quickly, the group of Prestidigitators let out pained cries. With their connections to Levia Thanato shattered, Erik rushed in, blades glinting in the sun as he got started. Elian charged in after him, feeling a little more focused after using a blast of the crown’s magic.

Despite their initial advantage, the battle was still uphill, their numbers ensuring that the fight wasn’t easy, or equal. Erik leapt out of a strike, blades coated purple as the monster in front of him crumpled, venom eating away at its veins. He looked back, seeing another wave of portals erupt out of mid-air, the abyssal darkness spewing out as more of Levia Thanato’s underlings crawled out into the sunlight.

“El! Twelve o’clock!” He called, before sliding between the Luminary and his target, letting loose a flurry of slices. Elian turned, breathing still laboured as he nodded. He focused himself on the crown adorning his head, letting the power overwhelm as light burst from his eyes. The creatures that were in the process of charging them down became paralyzed by the cleansing light.

“On it!” Ragged and rough, Elian’s armour clinked and clanged, muffling the sound of his mounting exhaustion as he met the force head on. One of his foes had managed to regain its senses, swinging its sickle down pathetically as Elian used his shield to bash it aside, making quick work of the humanoid monster.

The battle continued like that for some time, with Erik doing his best to finish off batches of abyss-coated creatures to return to Elian’s side, only for more portals to open. It was probably quite obvious for Erik to see that he had started to slow down, his swipes still as strong as usual, but more sluggish. It had been almost half an hour of uninterrupted battle before Erik stopped at his side, quickly nabbing the crown from Elian’s head. He would have complained, argued that he could keep fighting, but it was almost impossible to keep himself upright. He blocked an incoming strike, letting Erik finish the last of the foes.

He could feel the muscles in his legs scream in protest as he continued to stand, knuckles white as he gripped his sword. The magic in Lorelei’s crown was demanding, it had almost knocked him down when he first used it, so to have managed half an hour of uninterrupted combat was something at least. The last thing he remembered was Erik looking at him, his shouts barely reached his ears as he blacked out.

It didn’t feel all that long before he woke up, and by the sight of Erik setting his pack aside and removing his knife belt, it can’t have been ages. He was vaguely aware of his chest, bare and coated in sweat. Heatstroke. He groaned, mostly in embarrassment over discomfort. Erik perked up, moving to his side quickly.

“El,” Erik started. Elian hated the sight of concern in his lover’s eyes, especially when he was the one causing it, especially when he only worried him out of his own stupidity. “How are you feeling?”

“Hot.” Elian mumbled, propping himself up on his elbows. Erik seemed to have a few different responses bounce around in his head, so Elian continued. “How long was I out for?” He asked, looking around. They were at the camp nestled under the rocky outcropping that led them to the deepest part of the Celestial Sands, shade keeping him from the heat of the desert sun.

“Only a few minutes. I dragged you over here and got you cooled down as well as I could.” The panic laced in Erik’s words hurt his heart.

“I’m still kicking, so you did great.” Elian assured, pushing up into a more comfortable position, sat up properly. “Turns out the desert, plus the crown, wasn’t a good idea.” Elian breathed out, the ghost of a chuckle escaping too.

“Plus, heavy plate armour.” Erik supplied, resting a hand on his shoulder. If he was grossed out by how sweaty he was, he didn’t show it. “We’ll rest here before continuing, okay?” Erik pressed a kiss to his cheek before getting up. It was nearing noon, and based on the delightful smells escaping the firepit that Erik had thankfully situated him away from, lunch was coming soon. He looked out past the camp towards the sands, thinking on it. Noon. By tomorrow, they’d be in the deep, ready to face their foe.

“Sounds good.” Elian managed to remember to respond, barely hiding his disappointment. He was sad to have paused their progress, but the small amount of training they had managed helped to prove two things. One, they certainly weren’t rusty, their skills in combat were still sharp enough to keep them alive. Two, the crown undeniably drew Levia Thanato’s ire, just wearing the crown sent his various creatures to Elian. Once they were down in the deep, they had to assume that the creature would come and deal with them itself.

“You sure you're okay?” Erik was kneeling by the fire, turning slices of thinly cut chicken on the hanging metal plate. Erik had coated the chicken in a spice rub, the scent attacking Elian’s senses as he let out a dreamy sigh.

“Better for smelling that food.” Elian admitted sheepishly as he pushed himself into the standing position. He stumbled a little before steadying himself. Vertigo be damned, he was going to stay standing. He rested his hand against the rock wall beside him, breathing out slowly. He was starting to feel less dizzy, as if the world was returning back to focus. He was clad in only his pants, the rest of his armour set aside, a cool breeze causing him to shiver. He still felt far too hot, but the wind whipping at him was too much of a contrast to feel comfortable. He approached the fire, crouching down opposite the direction the wind had hit him from.

“Should be done soon, there’s bread and salady stuff there.” Erik nodded towards the open pack next to Elian. Elian supressed the urge to comment on ‘salady stuff’ and instead took what he needed, assembling himself a sandwich, sans the chicken which was still cooking away over the flame. “Maybe we should continue our training somewhere less hot?” Erik suggested as he flipped the pieces of chicken, the sizzling scent of well-cooked spice assaulting Elian’s nose.

“Agreed.” Elian chuckled. He thanked Erik as the thief turned chef lifted the slice of chicken from the pan, laying it on Elian’s bed of greens, before getting started on his own. Lunch passed between them quickly, with Elian mildly disappointed that he didn’t have more time with the delicious food. Once they were finished, they got packed up, and Elian got back into his armour.

They discussed their best bet for an open area where they could fight and train, deciding that the plains outside of Dundrasil would serve best. The Zwaardrust region wasn’t known for its heat, so Elian would likely manage in his armour, and only have to worry about the power of the crown. After moments, they were outside the ruins, hand in hand. The sun was shining above, but clouds surrounded, and the heat was far more palatable, a pleasant breeze cooling down any heat that might build up.

On a full stomach, and with Elian hopefully less prone to collapsing, they got back to training. Elian felt himself tiring less, managing not to collapse after even an hour of fighting, which encouraged him to keep going. It was after an hour that he removed the crown, taking a break. It continued like that until the evening, infrequent breaks neatly bookending the fights that stretched on longer and longer as Elian grew more tolerable of the crown.

They finally collapsed at the camp outside of Dundrasil’s ruins, exhausted but with their time well spent. Not only could Elian wear the crown for longer than an hour now, he felt like he’d grown stronger, his stamina was improving, and his magic was becoming more efficient, even now after so long. They could continue to grow, no matter what.

“I haven’t fought that hard in a long damn time.” Erik groaned, shrugging off his hoodie. The chainmail keeping himself safe glinted, reflecting the roaring fire in front of them.

“Me neither.” Elian mumbled, chuckling as he struggled to get his armour off, his arms feeling closer to jelly than anything useful at the moment. Thankfully, Erik made himself useful, helping Elian out of the heavy armour until he was clad in just his trousers, similar to his time resting in the Celestial Sands. Sweat soaked into his skin, but he was silently thankful he hadn’t started to stink yet, though he had no doubt he’d need at least two baths to clean himself off tomorrow. Like hell he was going to fight for the fate of the world while smelling like he’d just spent a week deathly afraid of bathing. Amber would probably kill him if she found out.

“You think we’ll need to use the crown as much as we did today?” Erik asked, curious. He was almost too tired to take a peek at the rogue as he shed the chainmail, his skin glistening in the light. It was strange, Elian felt like he looked a mess, covered in grime and sweat, yet Erik looked perfect. Oh right, question, less ogling.

“I really hope not.” It was something that had been on his mind too, if Levia Thanato came to them, it might not be able to bring forth hordes of creatures to fight if they severed its connection using the crown. If it didn’t come straight away, being able to fight for an extended period of time wearing the relic was going to be the difference between life and death.

Elian let his head drop to the side, resting on Erik’s shoulder, sighing softly. When he had thought, all those weeks ago, that he was missing their travels and the thrill of combat, he hadn’t thought he’d be facing waves upon waves of enemies nonstop for hours. Elian was well and truly, exhausted. Erik gently wrapped an arm around his shoulders, pulling him in a little closer.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been this exhausted.” Elian admitted softly, wrapping his arms around Erik’s chest. “My legs might just fall off.” He mumbled.

“Please don’t let them fall off, I like them.” Erik had a similar exhaustion in his voice, the mix of his tone and his actual words causing Elian to snort in amusement.

“Gimme a massage then, might help.” He was joking, but he felt the rogue perk up in his arms.

“Alright, lay down.” Erik said, barely restrained eagerness leaking out as he pulled away from Elian’s embrace. Elian smiled a little and lay back, resting his hands behind his head. Laying under the partial covering of the camp, he could just about see the stars, the rest of his vision covered in dark cloth that would cover them from the rain.

“You’re eager.” Elian hummed amusedly, squeaking a little as Erik grabbed his pants, tugging them down, leaving his underwear intact. Elian’s cheeks brightened a little as he watched his lover. The rogue gently guided his body into the right position, he legs spread apart enough that Erik could sit on his knees between Elian.

“Guilty as charged.” Unapologetically, Erik wrapped his hands around one of Elian’s thighs, applying just the right amount of pressure to cause him to groan. His muscles felt tender, Erik’s firm, massaging touch causing his nerves to burn in response.

“Erik…” He let out a soft sigh when Erik’s touch turned gentle, trying to nurse his pained muscles back to health.

“Just tell me if you need me to stop.” Elian couldn’t help but smile, nodding quietly as his eyes drifted down to watch the rogue. He seemed so focused, careful, as if Elian would break under his touch. In all honesty, he half expected to break if Erik had been any rougher.

“It’s good, don’t worry.” Elian murmured out his assurance, feeling Erik’s hands drift further down his leg, comfortable in his touches, confident in how easily he could make Elian feel better. Erik moved from his left leg to his right, massaging his fingers into Elian’s thigh.

“You’re gonna be okay for tomorrow, right?” Erik’s question was laden with implication. There was a difference between being okay, and being ready to fight a battle against an unknown enemy.

“This isn’t exactly something I can just sit out.” Elian murmured. Their conversation fizzled out as Erik focused on the task at hand, and Elian grew pensive, thinking to himself, eyes lingering on his lover. Erik continued to massage the stress out of Elian, before looking up at him.

“Talk to me.” Elian perked up as he heard Erik’s request.

“Huh? Oh, I’m fine.” Elian spoke, smiling.

“You’ve got your mind on something.” Erik said, rubbing at his legs gently.

“Could I have a kiss?” Elian smiled sheepishly, finding it difficult not to want something like that with Erik’s hands rubbing so carefully across every inch of his legs.

“See? Was that so difficult?” Erik hummed, leaning over him, hands sliding up to his sides as he lay himself down atop Elian, pressing a slow, languid kiss to his lips. Elian let out a comfortable sigh against Erik, wrapping his arms up around his lover, holding him close.

“Mm, it’s hardly appropriate, as my masseuse, you might get in trouble.” Elian joked, the mirth dying in his throat as Erik kissed along his jaw, the touches against his side becoming more deliberate.

“Good thing I’m also your incredible boyfriend, and the guild of masseuses can eat my ass.” Erik mumbled against his skin, burying his face in the crook of Elian’s neck, biting down. Elian was torn between laughing and moaning, ending up with an odd, yet apparently endearing mix of the two, Erik’s hands squeezing at his hips in response as he sucked on the spot caught between his teeth. It felt like electricity, pulsing beneath his skin with every sharp touch of the rogue’s teeth.

“Mm, come on, I stink, lemme bathe before you get all touchy.” Elian’s cheeks were pink, mildly self-conscious as he tried to get out of his lover’s grasp, something which Erik seemed hellbent against, pushing his weight down against him, releasing the spot on his neck which was now dark red and easily noticeable.

“You smell a little intense, I’ll agree,” Erik teased, garnering a smack to the side before he continued. “But you don’t stink, so lemme enjoy myself.” Erik continued kissing down past his neck, trailing his body lazily, taking particular interest in Elian’s chest, tongue swirling and lapping at his pert nipples, causing the Luminary to roll his hips up against Erik.

“This wasn’t what I was looking for when I asked for a massage.” Elian defended half-heartedly, moans overtaking his thoughts as Erik bit down gently, his fingers digging into his hips, hard enough to bruise almost, enticing Elian to buck his hips upwards even more wantonly, panting a little. He’d quickly reacted to Erik’s teasing, his cloth bound cock pressing up against Erik.

“Feels like its what you’re looking for now.” Erik’s cocky tone sent another pulse through him. His confidence was so unbelievably attractive, Elian found it difficult to resist. He almost whimpered as Erik climbed off, pulling his underwear down with a blatant disregard for even trying to be coy.

“You’re so-“ A strangled cry replaced his words as Erik grasped him, stroking him languidly until he’d thickened up properly, rubbing his thumb against the head of Elian’s cock.

“So what? Dashing? Handsome?” Erik leaned down, pressing lazy kisses along Elian’s jaw as he lay against his lover, his strokes slow yet eager as he draped himself on the more muscular frame beneath him. “Impossible to resist?” Erik breathed against his ear, practically straddling Elian’s thigh as he pumped him.

“Mmf, shut up.” Elian grumbled, reaching up to grasp Erik’s jaw in one hand, slipping his arm around the rogue’s waist as he pulled him into a needy kiss. He could feel Erik smile against him before he melted into the kiss. Suddenly, there was a distinct, and very irritating, lack of pressure around his cock. Erik broke the kiss, standing up. He could hardly stop himself from whining, watching the smirk on his lovers’ face. Bastard.

“Patience, love.” Erik sat down in his lap, laying back against Elian’s chest. With his head resting comfortably on Elian’s shoulder, really driving the idea that he was a bit taller than the thief. Erik reached down to grab Elian’s hands, guiding them up onto his body, adjusting his position.

Elian let out a quiet moan as he realized what his lover was doing. He felt his cock pressed gently between Erik’s thighs, the gentle squeeze of his soft flesh feeling like heaven. Elian followed his guiding, fingers eager to meet their target. Hearing Erik’s moan was music to his ears, one hand wrapped around him as the other kept grip on his hip, keeping him still. Elian began thrusting upwards, the precum oozing from Erik’s initial teasing turning out to be a godsend, helping him to glide effortlessly between his lover’s thighs.

“Okay, point taken.” He mumbled into Erik’s shoulder. This felt incredible. “I should trust you more often.” He said, lips brushing against his skin. The taste of salty sweat was surprisingly, not so bad. And he could see what Erik meant about the smell, it was like a more intense version of Erik’s natural scent, yet to go sour after their extensive training. If it meant he could continue whatever the word for this was, Elian really wouldn’t complain.

“Yes, you should.” Erik’s words were shaky yet confident. Erik attempted to push himself down, give Elian more friction to work with, but he kept Erik still instead, stroking him swiftly as his thrusts picked up speed. The soft moans that spilled forth spurred Elian forward, and despite his desire to just let go and thrust wildly, he kept pace, matching his thrusts to his strokes, pushing them both towards a mutual oblivion.

“If it leads to more of this, I’ll never question you again.” Elian’s voice came out husky and ragged. This was _so_ much better than combat.

“Good boy.” Erik chimed, grinning as he squeezed his thighs together, earnestly pushing Elian closer to the edge. Elian sort of short circuited after that, thrusts picking up pace as he bit down on Erik’s shoulder, finding it impossible to hold back. Erik didn’t seem to mind, moans growing louder as Elian finally let himself go, vision going white as he came. He rode out his orgasm in pure bliss, stroking Erik to his own personal rapture, feeling the hot splatter of the blue-haired rogues cum against his hand.

Elian collapsed back against the ground, gasping for breath. Erik’s thighs spread apart to give Elian some relief from the oversensitivity, before he melted back against the Luminary, panting quietly.

“That was new.” Elian breathed out. He was both impressed at how much he had enjoyed that, and how well Erik knew him to know that actual sex might have broken him, that’s how exhausted he was. Thrusting himself between Erik’s thighs had damn near almost broke him, he couldn’t imagine how a more vigorous time would have treated him.

“Good new?” Erik asked.

“Incredible new.” Elian echoed, smiling as he pressed a kiss to Erik’s throat. An appreciative hum rumbled past as Elian pressed gentle kisses to his neck, before laying back properly, sliding Erik off of his chest to his side, arm secured around him eagerly.

A new experience they may never have again. He bit back his desire to bring it up, instead leaning to the side to kiss his forehead. He found it difficult not to lavish the man with attention, even when his mind was full of dread, and his body was to the point of passing out.

Only hours to go.

“We should sleep.” Elian spoke quietly against Erik as he pulled him in close. The ruins of Dundrasil weren’t oft visited, so they weren’t that likely to get caught at camp in such a compromising position.

Erik looked up, mouth opening before closing. He dwelled on the words he wanted to say, before nodding. “I love you El.”

“I love you too.” He murmured against him, before the world drifted away, and dreams filled his thoughts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to thank god for Erik's thighs. Also, I experimented with some new ways to transition through the day, hopefully it works well, I just wanted to keep the time between them getting new weapons and the evening before their fight to one, seamless chapter, so lemme know how that worked! As always, comments and kudos are welcomed and very much appreciated! c:


	22. Always Darkest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go! Hope everyone enjoys!

Thanks to the enchantments imbued in their clothing, every step along the ocean floor felt as natural as walking on the surface. The occasional crunch of coral underfoot helped to keep Elian grounded. Despite the beauty around them, he wasn’t really taking it in. Erik’s hand was laced with his own, the vicelike grip was really all he could feel right now. Silence festered between them, neither could figure out a thing to say. What do you say when a fight like this was hanging over your head? Before Calasmos, they’d all shared their hopes for what would come next, their aspirations, their resolve that they would survive.

Elian and Erik had already shared those between each other, and this time they were alone. Everyone else had been wrapped up, in kindness, in duty, in the fight to keep the world safe. Elian knew that they needed to do what they were doing, if they couldn’t defeat Levia Thanato, his corruption would spread through the oceans, and from there, the surface would suffer. The beast had been trapped in times past, and by the magic of Nautica no less, not by Yggdrasil’s power through the Luminary. That gave Elian the hope that they could defeat Levia Thanato.

Far to their north, Nautica’s lights twinkled, even in the filtered sunlight. Queen Marina’s support was yet another shred of hope that kept him moving forward. They’d discussed the spot they were approaching, a flat open plateau with coral walls climbing up towards the surface, perfect to start a battle. Nautica had clear line of sight on the underwater battlefield, as long as Elian and Erik kept him busy, they’d be able to deal some serious damage.

Elian reluctantly let go of Erik’s hands as he pushed himself up from the rocks they were walking on, swimming up a steep incline, hefting himself up as he managed to reach the edge of the lip, turning back to reach for Erik, helping him up.

“Thanks partner.” Erik’s words weren’t as peppy as usual, but he could hardly blame the man. He nodded, squeezing his hand gently before turning south. They could have swum the whole way there, and probably be there in half the time, but they had both set out from Nautica on foot. It was like an unspoken agreement; it gave them at least a little more time together, even if they failed to say anything of substance. He had come to realize, over the last month, that he didn’t have to have excitement or adventure to keep himself happy. It wasn’t an itch to travel that had plagued him for the last year or so in Cobblestone. It was an itch to be with Erik, plain and simple.

“We’re gonna be okay.” Starting that sentence, he was intending for it to be a question, but as they soldiered on, his resolve continued to grow, ending his words as a statement. “You promised me you’d live because you loved me. I’ll do the same.” Elian said, managing the first genuine smile for the last few hours.

He felt Erik’s hand squeeze around his a little harder, watched as the rogue’s face rose to meet his. “It’s a deal.” He said, a soft smile spreading across his lips as they continued to travel forward. It was a long trip, but thankfully not arduous, the ability to swim up any serious incline keeping them from exerting themselves too much. At long last, they stopped at the plateau, looking around their surroundings. Elian glanced up, able to gauge the distance between their makeshift battlefield and the surface of the water. Thankfully, if absolutely necessary, they could flee to the surface and swim to land.

“Well, it looks like we’re ready.” Elian didn’t sound so sure, didn’t feel so sure either, but he squared his shoulders, turning to gaze out on the fathomless deep. It was just about noon, the sun loomed high above them, bathing the plateau in warm light, close enough to the surface that the sun could reach them.

“We are.” Erik agreed, squeezing his hand gently before stepping aside. “All up to you now.” Erik said softly, offering up what meagre smile he could. He could feel the studious gaze on him as he reached down to unfasten the crown from his hip, lifting it up. He paused, holding the crown just above his head.

“Be careful.” Elian said, hearing Erik echo the sentiment before he set the crown down, keeping his eyes shut. Lorelei’s magic coursed through him, the purifying light singing at his psyche, burning a course through him, taking grasp of his body, to use as a weapon against corruption. There was a reason he kept the duty of wielding the crown to himself, his link to Yggdrasil meant he was as pure of heart as could be, he wasn’t sure if the crown would negatively impact another person.

“I think it’s working.” Erik said quietly, the unmistakable tone of dread lurking in his voice. Elian felt a shiver run down his spine as the water surrounding him ran cold. With his eyes clamped shut, Elian couldn’t see the darkness as it surrounded them. Like tenebrous ink, it infected the waters all around, rendering them completely blind.

“Is it there?” Elian asked softly, not wanting to open his eyes and waste any power that they might need for the fight. Silence. Elian’s breathing quickened, panic setting in. “Erik? What do you see?”

“Nothing.” Came the hissed reply, silence stretching between them before he felt Erik’s hand against his arm. “There’s something moving in the dark, quick!” Before Elian could open his eyes, he felt a pillar slam against his chest, sending him back through the water as if he were travelling through air. His back collided with a wall, coral based on the piercing pain across his back. He dropped to his knees, feeling the crown fall from his head.

Elian panted for breath, desperate to draw air back into his lungs. His back burned with pain, the rough surface of the coral scraping harsh cuts through his skin, the saltwater forcing more pain through his body. “Erik!” Elian called into the darkness, frantically grasping at the floor in front of him, attempting to find the crown. More silence, gripping at his heart like a vice. He kept searching the floor below him, looking forward to try and discern a shape, a glimpse of anything, but it was all black.

Finally, his hand caught the edge of coral, grasping around the intricate shape of the crown. In the dark, he finally caught sight of something. Two sources of blood red light, bright against the abyssal darkness around him. They floated in the water where he’d been thrown from, like two glaring eyes. “El!” Shattering the silence, Erik’s voice was hoarse, in just as much pain as he was. “Quickly!”

Elian forced himself to his feet, pulling the crown down onto his head. His eyes erupted with purifying light. Elian focused, pushing the crown to its limit, the energy pouring out of him like a fountain, burning away the inky blackness that surrounded them. Horrifying roars of pain accompanied as sunlight broke through the veil of shadow, revealing the beast, at long last. Elian quickly pulled the crown from his brow, stowing it on his hip as he recovered.

Ahead of him, floating above the plateau they had reached, a colossal jellyfish-like monstrosity stared down at them. Each layer of its slippery skin fluttered in the water, as dark and nebulous as the corruption it had spread, rippling like a dark robe in the wind. Heavy tentacles protruded out from what looked like the base of the robe, probably what had swiped Elian away into the wall. One tentacle stood out among the rest, far longer and thicker than the rest, rising up behind the vaguely humanoid shape the creature displayed, a glinting, sharp curved blade piercing out of the tentacle, reminiscent of a scythe. At the top of the beast, the robe-like skin wrapped around itself like a hooded head, two glowing red orbs sunk within the barely translucent black flesh. He suddenly understood why this creature was known as the ‘Death of the Sea.’

He broke his gaze, turning to see Erik reach his side, collapsing down next to him with a pant. A dark bruise extended from his right shoulder down his bicep, his arm hanging limply by his side. “Erik, you’re okay.” Relief that his lover was alive outweighed his immediate worry that he had been so severely injured. He gathered up restorative magic in his hands, releasing it between the pair. Erik’s face scrunched up as his body knit itself back to normal, the bone in his arm mended back to normal, the dull ache remaining.

“All thanks to you.” Erik panted out, turning to face the beast. It seemed to be in a state of shock after being hit with Lorelei’s crown, it’s tentacles twitching and flicking around as if it were paralyzed.

“I think it’s time for that signal.” Elian pushed himself to his feet, helping Erik too. The thief nodded in agreement, pulling a small orb from his pocket, instilling some raw magic into the trinket before pushing it up through the water. As it floated upwards, it began to pulse with light, a rainbow of colours flowing out of the orb.

Far to their north, Queen Marina stood before a line of coral carved ballistae, heavy rock bolts laid down, carved with mystical runes. She watched, critical eye unwavering. Even as the light erupted on the battlefield, and the grotesque form of Levia Thanato was revealed, she kept steadfast, holding her hand up as a sign to hold, already feeling the restlessness of her people. Her eyes narrowed, a faint smile on her lips as the magical orb she had gifted to Erik had gone off, a myriad of different colours giving her the signal.

“Our allies have succeeded in drawing his ire! Now, open fire!” Her hands glowed, purple magic reacting to the runes inlaid on the ballista bolts. The battalion of armoured merpeople floating behind her swiftly got to work, and within moments, the heavy bolts were launched forward. With movements more befitting a dancer than a sorceress, Marina weaved the stone bolts through the water, before the runes carved into the very bottom of the bolts erupted in magical purple flame. With a much needed boost in speed, a salvo of ten bolts rained down against Levia Thanato.

The creature’s cry of pain was deafening, its body being thrown back into the reef wall, heavy chunks of the colourful coral falling loose from the impact.

“Alright then!” Erik drew his blades, eyes settling on the bladed tentacle that now lay against the ground while Elian pulled the Sword of Light free from its sheath, his shield up. “Time to teach this thing, never get between me and my treasure.” Erik quickly cast the strongest version of his Rubblerouser spell, the sigil spreading out beneath Levia Thanato before he divided, using the creatures wounded state as a chance to dish out some damage.

Elian couldn’t help but smile, shaking his head. Even facing death, he had time for a cheesy joke. Flourishing the blade around in his hand, he breathed out, making sure the crown was safe around his hip before he took off after Erik, meeting him at the weapon-like tentacle, unleashing a flurry of Falcon Slashes against the beast. Despite seeming like the strongest of Levia Thanato’s tentacles, it wasn’t armoured, much to Elian’s relief, his blade dancing along the sinuous flesh. Finally, the beast rose from its weakened state, its tentacle sweeping outwards to deflect Elian and Erik away from him.

Erik quickly dodged out the way as his doppelgangers took the brunt of the attack, fading away. Elian raised his shield, sliding back as he managed to stay upright. The creature’s attacks were slower now, more sluggish. Corrupting the waters seemed to bolster its attacks, out in the clear water, they had a chance.

“Watch to your left!” Elian slid past Erik, blocking an incoming swing from one of the weaker tentacles, dropping to one knee as he struggled to keep his shield up. Erik reacted quickly, pushing off the ground, floating up past Elian to shred at the tentacle attacking the pair. Levia Thanato quickly pulled its tentacle away, swiping in with another. Elian kept up his defence, managing to cast a quick restorative magic before he was knocked back, using the shield to soak up the brunt of the damage. As the tentacle lingered against his shield, he raised his sword, swiping down harshly against it. It flicked back in pain, so Elian pursued, sword biting against flesh. The beast floated up higher than Elian could reach without swimming, letting loose a thunderous strike of tentacles against the ground all around. Elian slid back, shield up until he could block no longer, launched back by the assault.

“Elian!” Erik pushed himself up from his stood position, swimming up to slice at the silky bulk above the tentacles, watching it shrivel back in pain. Elian spotted the reaction as he dusted himself off, healing himself up quickly. A weak spot, it seemed. The creature began to shift before sharp stalagmites erupted up through the plateau, piercing many of the tentacles before fading away. While it dished out a lot of damage, the beast seemed enraged. It fully faced Erik, and with a swipe almost impossible to react to, it had hit Erik clear of the plateau. He slid to a stop at the edge of the coral reef, barely able to push himself up from his collapsed position.

Panic shot through Elian as the creature’s scythe tentacle twitched, as if readying a strike. A strike no one could come back from. Elian threw his shield on his back, latched onto one of the various straps keeping his outfit together as he ran to Erik. Magic swirled around in his hands as he cast one last rudimentary healing spell before he threw himself on top of him. The pierce came moments later. Pain surged through his body, radiating from his left shoulder as he held Erik against the ground, shielding him from the strike. “Just in time.” Elian gasped out, grunting a little.

“El… Oh fuck, are you alright?” Tears brimmed in the thief’s eyes as he stared at Elian’s shoulder, watching viscous red blood bubble free. The scythe like appendage had only just managed to pierce the shield, a shallow stab into his shoulder.

“Shield is worth its weight in gold.” Elian grunted, smiling a little. He gasped as the piercing pain was wrenched free, and moments later, a smaller tentacle swept them aside, slamming into the coral reef, back on the centre stage.

Erik helped Elian up into a kneeling position before his eyes widened. Elian followed his gaze, realizing that the crown safely looped around his waist wasn’t nearly as safe as he thought, the strap shredded to pieces. He scanned the ground near them until his eyes settled on the glittering crown. Before he could even react, before he could say a word, the scythed appendage stabbed through the middle of the crown. The latent energy stored in the crown erupted free, singeing at Levia Thanato’s ghostly flesh, as Elian covered his eyes, blocking out the bright flash.

Erik slumped against him as the light subsided. The beast was stunned briefly, but that was the last of their power, if they couldn’t defeat him soon, he’d regain the power to corrupt the oceans, and they’d be powerless to stop him. “What do we do?” Erik asked softly, hopelessly. All Elian could do was wrap his arm around the thief’s shoulder, holding him close. He was losing blood, and his stamina was draining with it.

“I don’t know.” Elian admitted, quiet sorrow in his voice. He kept Erik close as the edges of his vision darkened, gazing up at the beast. He had to squint, as high above them, he could see lights. Weaving across the surface of the water, various colours blended together, each line intersecting, a mosaic of beauty, and, as he quickly realized what it was, he pushed himself to his feet, backing against the coral, towing Erik with him. “Look.” He urged.

Erik gazed up quietly, before his eyes widened. “A magic circle?” The lines came to a halt, before the light intensified, magic pulsing through the water, even someone with no aptitude for magic could feel it.

“Hold on!” Grabbing onto a piece of the outcropped coral, Elian felt the water around him rush upwards. The sound in his ears was deafening, like the roar of a waterfall, thundering upwards instead of down. He gasped for breath as the water surged, rising up past the magic circle, watching as the magic extended downwards, holding the water around them at bay. It was incredible to see, the bottom of the ocean, completely devoid of water. Levia Thanato stayed upright, floating in the air as if it were water, a trait shared by many sea creatures in Erdrea.

“What in the hell is going on?” Erik asked, before an unmistakable cry pierced the magical barrier.

“Cetacea!” Elian exclaimed, before looking to the side. They were directly below Levia Thanato. “We need to move! Quick!” With as much energy as they could muster, and without the restrictive impeding of water, they made their way clear of the coral wall. A moment of silence was all that could stretch between them before an almighty shattering sound came from above. Cetacea’s armoured horn burst through the magic as if it were a stained-glass window, swooping down at incredible speeds, stabbing itself into the soft flesh of Levia Thanato’s body. The incapacitated monster let out a horrifying peal of pain as it was slammed into the coral wall. The flying whale carefully came to land down by the pair after it had wrestled itself free, a keening cry greeting them.

Jade and Hendrik leapt off of Cetacea’s back, standing as a wall to block Erik and Elian from the wounded beast as Rab and Serena rushed to their side.

“Laddie, how are ye feeling?” Rab stopped by Elian’s side, calling on some magic to spread throughout their ranks, buffing their defences. Serena knelt in front of them both, weaving a healing wave across them both. Elian quickly felt his body renew, sighing in relief.

“Better now, thanks.” Elian enthused, helping Erik to his feet.

“You guys have a real great sense of timing.” The thief added, a smile on his lips as he squeezed Elian’s shoulders, before letting go.

“You know Sylvando, always one for dramatic flair.” Veronica called as she hopped down from Cetacea’s back, with the performer quickly following.

“I _can_ hear you darling, just be happy we made such a stylish entrance!” He called as he joined Hendrik and Jade at the front, shield up.

“I’m so glad to see you all.” Elian spoke sincerely.

“Aww, we missed you too!” Peeking over the edge of the whale, a shock of blue hair, a beaming smile.

“Mia!?” Erik erupted, fixing Veronica with a near demonic glare. Before the pint-sized sorceress managed to defend herself, the young thief piped up.

“I made her bring me, relax!” Mia huffed. Erik reined himself in, so he didn’t yell, returning his incredulous glare to Mia.

“You’re a kid! You need to go, I’m not letting you risk your life here.” Erik’s voice had an air of finality to it that Elian rarely ever heard, squeezing his hand gently.

“I want to help, at least give me something!” She argued. Erik was clearly contemplating smacking her upside the head, so Elian decided to speak up.

“Take Cetacea north, she’ll know what to do. You should be able to see a city under the water, try and get Queen Marina’s attention. She needs to know there’s a barrier around us now.” Elian suggested, hoping that would sate some of Erik’s anger.

Erik sighed, nodding. “Yeah, I guess that’s as safe as I can get you. Tell her to aim her weapons up, she should still be able to guide them. Barring that, tell the mermaids to just be ready.” Erik said.

“Wait, mermaids? Seriously?” Mia looked ecstatic.

“Mia!” Erik rubbed the bridge of his nose, rage resurfacing.

“Okay, okay! Going!” She sighed, patting Cetacea’s back before peeking back over. “I’m glad you're okay.” She said before flying off to get word to the mermaids.

Elian gently squeezed his hand before letting go, moving forward. “Guys.” He called out for all of them to listen. “The crown is gone, if we don’t beat this thing soon, it’ll have its power to corrupt the seas again, and we won’t be able to stop it.” He said, gazing up at the creature. His eyes widened as Levia Thanato righted itself in the air.

“Everyone, get clear!” Hendrik’s voice followed, catching sight of the movement too. The tentacles reared back, orbs of water swirling around the tendrils before a barrage of high pressure, magical water was blasted down on them, shattering the rock beneath their feet as they were thrown from the plateau.

Elian struggled up onto his knees, shouts surrounding him, though they felt muffled, a faint ringing drumming through his head. Everyone was okay, that was for sure, they had all sounded off, and in the roar and confusion, he had felt himself do the same, but his mind was elsewhere. He wasn’t _strong_ enough, he couldn’t hope to keep up with the creature’s assault, even with everyone here to help. It was just too powerful.

He quietly held his hands to his chest, kneeled down as if in prayer, eyes clenched shut. “Yggdrasil, if you can hear me, then please… If you care at all for this world, for me and my friends, I need your help.” He whispered frantically; words lost to all apart from that which mattered. “I need you.” He echoed, before feeling light well up in his chest. It was the last thing he remembered feeling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As the chapter progressed, I felt like I couldn't do it justice to cram it all in to one chapter, plus dramatic cliffhangers are a fave of mine! I think I'm gonna estimate a few more chapters to get this all wrapped up, so look forward to more fun! Thanks for all the continued support and comments, it's all been so nice to see, and I really appreciate it all!


	23. Before the Dawn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are, at journey's end! Thank you all so much for supporting this fic!

Erik’s head was spinning, all noise around him muted enough that he felt like he was back underwater, eyes struggling to see through the haze of dust. Hendrik’s voice cut through the ringing, calling to ensure that everyone was okay. Erik’s voice came naturally, without much thought either way, announcing that he was still kicking. He heard everyone sound off, including Elian, much to his relief. He struggled to push himself up from his kneeled position, until Sylvando dropped down next to him, helping him stand.

“Come on darling, no slouching, we’ve got a job to do!” Once he’d helped Erik to his knees, he hopped up onto one of the lumps of rock, scanning the surrounding area.

“El? Is El alright?” Erik asked, climbing up to follow, before his eyes settled on a blinding light. He had to cover his eyes, avoiding blinding himself.

“Well that’s new!” Sylvando announced as the light faded. Surrounded by seared stone, Elian stood. His eyes glowed with a golden light, and his entire body was bathed in that same light, as if he was pepped up by the very will of Yggdrasil herself.

“Elian?” Erik called. It was clear that the Luminary couldn’t hear him. Elian’s golden aura burst, wings of pure light erupting out of his back as he flew into the air. Levia Thanato seemed to begin regaining its senses before a blast of pure light rained down on it from Elian. He blitzed around the sky, slashes and bursts of light assaulting Levia Thanato’s weakened form.

“I’ve never seen such power!” Hendrik praised, eyes following Elian’s every movement.

“I have.” Serena’s voice was quiet, contemplative, and worst of all, scared. The group turned to face her as she stood, eyes following Elian’s movements. “It’s the Wrath of Yggdragon, I never thought I’d see it.” She admitted, eyes filled with sorrow. Veronica approached her, reaching up to clasp her hand.

“But this is good right?” Jade asked. “We need that kind of power to beat this thing.” She said.

“That isn’t Elian right now, he’s being controlled by Yggdrasil herself, he must have begged her for help.” Serena said, watching Elian assault the creature. “But Yggdrasil’s power is infinite, a mortal body can’t hold it for long, even the Luminary. If that beast doesn’t die fast… Elian will burn up.” She said. A sobering silence fell over the group, eyes glancing among each other.

Erik’s eyes stayed glue on Elian as he flew about. Well, not Elian. Yggdragon. His heart sank, feeling powerless. If Levia Thanato didn’t die, Elian would.

“Alright, enough moping!” Veronica shouted, grasping her hands around the pendant on her neck. Light enveloped her, and as it faded, Veronica’s true form was revealed, so similar to Serena in looks, but her eyes were narrowed, ready for a fight. The fire in her eyes lit Erik aflame with the same fighting spirit. “If that big floating bastard thinks he’s just got one problem, he’s got another thing coming! Serena, with me!” Veronica held her hands out, smiling a little as Serena moved to grasp them.

“Of course, Veronica. We’ll need some cover everyone.” Serena seemed to snap out of her worry, blue energy flowing around her as her and Veronica came together, magic runes carving around her feet. “We’ll be vulnerable while we cast, and we’ll have no magic left when we’re done! Hopefully this is enough. For Elian.” She said softly.

“For Elian.” Veronica agreed, her body bathed in a blue light. Powerful magic swirled around them as they primed their strongest pep power, etching the runes into the ground.

Erik nodded, resolute as he turned to face the others. “Rab, you ready?”

The older man’s eyes were filled with a fury Erik had never seen before, still guilty of thinking that Rab was a doddering old man half the time. “This world’s darkness has taken my daughter from me, my home, I willnae let it have my grandson, I can promise ye that!” He announced, before taking his stance, sweeping his arms around to cast an intricate seal on the ground beneath him, stamping his foot down as the magic flowed through him. Gathering his arms up into a coiled state, a ball of white magic began to form.

Erik gave a quick nod as he looked to Jade and Hendrik, who’d already turned to face the beast. Jade raised her spear from the ground, holding it forward, eyes narrowed. Hendrik hefted his axe up onto his shoulder, heavy tower shield locked to his arm. “We’ll make sure they can cast in time!” Jade called over her shoulder.

“None will pass, I promise that. For the Luminary!” Hendrik charged headlong into battle, leaping up off an upturned piece of rock, slamming his axe down into the soft, billowing flesh of Levia Thanato’s hide, stopping it from attempting to fight away Elian’s bombardment. Jade followed suit, springing up along the ruined coral reef, slicing her way along the beasts’ body as she moved, too fast to be struck.

“On you go Erik!” Sylvando’s voice was accompanied by a beautiful tune, bolstering the groups agility. “Your resident whipping boy, here to make sure they’re kept safe!” Sylvando announced, drawing his sword with a flourish, raising his shield up as he took his spot between the group of casting team members and Levia Thanato.

“Thanks, Sylv, just be careful.” He said, unsheathing his blades, charging forward to back up Jade and Hendrik. If they weren’t quick, Elian’s body would succumb to the power being funnelled through it. With everyone fighting alongside him, Erik was able to battle to his best, taking advantage of Hendrik tanking hits to leap into the fray, unleashing near blindingly fast attacks, carving the flesh from Levia Thanato’s flailing tentacles, forcing them out of commission with his devastating blades.

Far above them, Elian was marionetted through the sky, fighting against the corrupting beast with Yggdrasil’s might. Levia Thanato was weakening fast, finding it difficult to defend itself against such an onslaught, but it wasn’t weak enough yet. With a flailing swipe, it tossed Hendrik back towards the trio of casters, letting out a shocking roar that knocked both Jade and Erik aside, stumbled by the sheer strength of its roar. The scythe-like tentacle stabbed down into the ground, causing Hendrik to crouch low, absorbing the impact. A swirling vortex of dark water amassed around the end of Levia Thanato’s primary tentacle, before erupting forward.

Hendrik slammed his shield into the ground, absorbing the stream of magic infused water, feet planted firmly against the broken rock beneath him. The metal wall before him rattled ferociously as he held off the beam of magic.

“Hendrik! Hold on!” Jade pushed herself up, running towards the creature. She jammed her spear down into the stationary tentacle, digging it deep. The beam seemed to weaken before one of the lesser tentacles swiped, knocking Jade off, her spear left lodged inside. Erik scrambled to his feet, rushing to help her up, cracking a bottle of Yggdrasil Dew, the healing waters spreading through the group.

Hendrik pushed his spare arm against the shield, feeling the magic bleed through, burning at his arms. A shard of his shield shattered off, slicing past his cheek. Seconds before his shield was shattered entirely, the beam abated, a flash appearing in front of him. Sylvando’s body shone as he blocked the beam, taking on the brunt of the damage. “Up you get, darling! Put that axe to good use, eh?” Sylvando glanced over his shoulder, giving a playful wink.

Hendrik pushed himself up off the ground, his shield falling apart as he scooped up his axe. "Right you are." Shoulders hunched down, he ran across the rocky plateau, axe scraping along the jagged stone. He came sliding to a stop as he took his axe in both hands, letting out a billowing roar as he threw his axe. The blade pierced through the tentacle, meeting Jade’s spear before continuing through. The scythed appendage fell to the ground, the beam ceasing as Levia Thanato’s roars grew to a crescendo of screams, a cacophony of anger and pain as it let loose a flurry of strikes with its remaining tentacles.

Using his fancy footwork, Erik got Jade to safety before moving to Sylvando and Hendrik, helping them out of the way of the assault. “Rab! Any time now!” He called. 

Far behind them, Rab’s orb of white magic had grown substantially, ready to unleash the power Master Pang had bestowed on him. “Are ye ready girls?” He asked as Serena and Veronica floated up, surrounded by a nearly completed magical circle. “Aye, I think that’ll do.” He turned to face the wounded beast as it released a desperate attack against the others. With an angered yell, Rab let loose his bolt of magic. Striking the beast directly, a cross of white magic ruptured out across its hide.

Some semblance of Elian must have been okay within Yggdragon’s rage, because as Pearly Gates struck Levia Thanato, Elian summoned forth a blade of blinding light, easily dwarfing the creature as he drove it down through the cross. The resulting blast sent the beast shambling into the barrier Veronica had created, its’ dark, translucent flesh charred and covered in deep gashes.

Erik pushed himself up, watching Elian renew his assault. “He’s still in there.” He was telling himself, more than the people around him. He hadn’t lost him yet. He _wouldn’t_ lose him. “Everyone back!” They retreated from the broken plateau swiftly, the stone beneath their feet crumbling with every step. He’d have to apologize to Queen Marina for the horrendous state of the coral reef when they were done, hopefully some of the mermaid magic could help to fix it.

The thrum of magical energy was palpable, like a vibration through the air, a pressure mounting around them. Erik had seen the power before, and he knew it was what they needed. He’d begged Elian to think of a better name than ‘Mighty Magic Burst’ but Serena had immediately fallen in love with the title, and Veronica didn’t seem to care as long as she could vaporize their enemies with it.

Veronica and Serena completed the circle with time to spare, Veronica extending her left hand out towards Levia Thanato, Serena extending her right. The world around them went quiet for a moment, like the calm before the storm. With a flash of magnificent light, Levia Thanato was engulfed in pure, unbridled magic, the most powerful blast that the twin sorceresses could muster. The sheer magnitude of the blast sent lumps of rock and coral flying clear, and even Veronica’s barrier creaked under the attack.

As the magic faded, and sunlight replaced it as the primary source of light, Levia Thanato remained, burnt and on the brink of death, many of its tentacles seared to the point of being immovable. Yet still it fixed them with an unending glare, the red orbs lost beneath its shadowy skin glowing out towards them. The unsettling gaze slipped as suddenly, a colossal stone spear slammed down into the beast, piercing its hide and tethering it to the ground. Erik looked skyward, seeing a volley of the mermaid’s artillery raining down, the final strike needed. As the stone stakes pierced the creature, its body began to burn away, light biting at the edges of its very being, until there was nothing left.

Erik slumped against the rock he had braced behind, releasing the breath he hadn’t realized he’d held in. It was over. In the distance, Elian landed, flaming light still billowing around him. “Partner!” Erik forced himself to stand, exhausted and covered in cuts and scrapes, bruises marring his exposed skin as he ran to him. Elian was looking at him, but it wasn’t Elian. The light still poured out of him, burning even from as far back as Erik was. “It’s over El.” He called.

“I don’t think he can hear you.” Serena was leant against Sylvando, doing his best to keep her up as Rab gathered up some Magic Water for the pair that had expended their magic to ensure that Levia Thanato fell.

“He can always hear me.” Erik approached slowly, wincing as the heat drew stronger. “Yggdrasil, please, it’s over, let him go!” He called towards the glowing figure before him, keeping up his advance towards Elian.

“Erik, be careful! My enchantments can’t keep you safe against that kind of power!” Veronica warned, frowning as she watched. She probably knew that she couldn’t stop him anyway. Erik could already feel Yggdrasil’s unending light burning against his skin, the enchantments faltering. He pushed forward, tugging the enchanted amulet from his neck before it shattered. He shifted back to his regular gear, feeling the light burn even stronger. Ignoring the searing pain that licked against his bare arms, he wrapped his arms tight around Elian.

“It’s over El, it’s over.” He winced as the light leapt free, gouging thin lines across his arms, like searing claw marks. He refused to let go. He’d happily suffer any consequence, as long as Elian knew he was there, that he was never going to abandon him. After a moment, the light flashed, and faded to nothingness, as Elian collapsed forward into his arms. Erik breathed out a sigh of relief, arms tightening around his lover, ignoring the pain.

Elian’s face was pallid, slick with sweat, dark bags under his eyes, as if his body had been under great stress and he’d decided that the way to fix that was a week of all-nighters. Erik vaguely recognized the presence of the group around them, dropping to his knees, keeping Elian upright in his arms so he could be laid down carefully. Serena knelt down, thanking Sylvando for his help before holding her hands out to Erik. He reluctantly let go of Elian, offering up his arms. The scars lining his arms were still fresh, so Serena’s magic hurt all the more. He winced, looking away as the superficial scarring was healed away, noticing the claw like slices that the light had dug through him remained, a reminder.

“I’m sorry Erik, those will have to stay.” She said softly.

“It’s fine, just… Just focus on El.” He pleaded, gazing down at him. His breathing was shallow, and he was deathly still. Despite the heat of Yggdrasil’s power, Elian was cold. She gave a silent nod as she pressed her hands down to his chest.

“Come on Elian, you’ve got this.” Serena whispered, renewing magic pouring forth from her hands, bathing Elian’s body in its restorative waves. Rab crouched down by Serena and copied her actions, casting his own magic to try and help.

“You’re stronger than this laddie, come on.” Rab said quietly.

Erik couldn’t drag his eyes off of Elian, drowning in worry as he reached down, holding his hand gently. Slowly, the Luminary’s eyes opened, a weak smile on his face. “Did we do it?” The group erupted into voices of relief as Elian regained consciousness. Erik leaned down to secure a tight hug, holding him close as the rest of them got Elian back up to speed on what he’d missed.

A strange sense of peace settled over Erik as he held Elian against him. He had his ‘family’ around them, his lover alive and with him, and the world was safe.

~

Elian was awoken by a cool breeze passing over him. He cracked an eye open, looking around quietly. The bed was empty, causing Elian to groan. Too damn cold. He looked around quietly, appraising the surroundings. He was in a comfortable double bed, sheets tangled at the foot of the bed. The cabin was cosy, a fireplace blazing across from the bed, a small kitchenette curved around the corner of the far wall. He looked to the right, the low window looking out towards the sea. He sighed happily, finally being able to look at the ocean without a bubbling feeling of dread.

He glanced left towards the open door that had allowed the offending breeze in, eyes settling on the perpetrator. Erik stood, nude as the day he was born, hands rested at his hips, his perky arse the focus of Elian's eyes. Past Erik, despite how little Elian had any looking past him, he could see the small dock that connected their island to the outside world. “You sure I didn’t die and go to heaven?” Elian called over, rolling onto his side, propping his head up with his hand.

“That wasn’t funny the first time you made the joke sweetheart, you’re really stretching for it with the eighth.” Erik looked over his shoulder, a devilish grin on his lips.

“Y’know, I’m gonna be jealous when a passing cruise ship gets a good look at you and I’m not.” Elian drawled lazily. “I know its your birthday, but I feel like I deserve a present.” Elian hummed, grinning in return. Erik snorted, turning to properly face Elian. Much better. Though he did miss the arse. Being able to admire Erik's front and back at the same time would probably lead to him doing nothing ever again.

“And I mentioned that our holiday would be you only wearing your Nautica gear, and yet we decided to go nude instead because you gave me your pout.” Erik countered. Elian was almost too busy gazing up and down Erik’s body to pay attention to him.

“Huh? Well, come on, nude works way better, right?” Elian asked, gesturing to his reclined, naked body. Erik kicked the door shut behind him as he approached, grinning a little.

“Can’t deny that.” He hopped onto the bed, landing atop Elian, splayed out on his chest. Elian hooked his arms around him, pulling him into a soft kiss.

“Think we could just stay here for the rest of the year? I think I could use the time to recuperate.” Elian joked. It had been almost a month since the events beneath the ocean. Everything after his plea to Yggdrasil was foggy at best, completely gone at worst. The fact they had survived was a continuing surprise in his mind, Yggdragon’s power had only just managed to tip the scales, and even then, it almost came at a fatal cost. He’d been scolded endlessly by everyone, but mostly Erik, to never call on that power again. Seeing the tear’s in Erik’s eyes, the panic in everyone’s faces, it was more than enough to convince him.

“Hmm, I might take you up on that, I don’t think I’ve been this relaxed in months.” Erik’s words were muffled by Elian’s chest, causing him to chuckle.

“Is that because of the comfortable cabin or being naked for a whole week?” Elian asked.

“Hmm… Yes.” Erik responded diplomatically, leaning up to press a kiss to Elian eagerly. Elian returned the kiss, smiling against his thief’s lips.

“Agreed.” Elian hummed.

With the world recovering, everyone had returned to a vague sense of normality. Serena had taken to travelling, offering her healing arts to those affected by the surge in monster attacks shortly before Levia Thanato fell. Similar to her sister, Veronica was also travelling, but was instead in Nautica, learning about the mermaid magic used beneath the waves to expand her knowledge of enchantments.

Jade, Hendrik and Rab returned to Heliodor, life returned back to normal much faster for the landlocked kingdom, but they continued to send out detachments of Heliodorian knights to reinforce the more at-risk areas. After the defeat of Levia Thanato, monsters had become a scarcity again, but King Carnelian wanted to be sure. Jade had mentioned the Dundrasil rebuilding and Elian had basically run away from her.

“El? You’re spacing a little.” Erik said, cupping his cheek.

“Huh? Oh sorry, just thinking.” Elian assured.

“And we all know how dangerous that can be.” Erik chuckled, garnering an eyeroll.

“I’ve never once had a bad idea.” Elian huffed, interjecting before Erik had a chance to speak up. “And I’m taking no criticism on that.”

Erik snorted, his turn to roll his eyes as he leaned up, kissing along his jaw lazily. “So, as much as I want my beautiful birthday present to last forever, what do we do after this?” He asked.

Elian thought for a moment, before smiling. “How about travel the world properly this time? We only got to Sniflheim before that holiday venture went out the window.” He pointed out.

“I like that idea. I mean, what else could we do in a time of peace?” Erik asked with a chuckle.

“I’ll take you back to Cobblestone and make you my house husband, obviously.” Elian said, grinning widely. Considering how good Erik looked in an apron; clothes optional, he’d definitely given it some thought.

“Really?” Erik’s cheeks had gone pink, and the look on his face, it was… Contemplative?

“Wait, you’d want to?” Elian asked. It had truthfully only been a joke.

“Well, I mean, not straight away. I’m twenty-two, not thirty-two.” He said, chuckling sheepishly. “I just don’t want to lose you.” Erik said, glancing aside, avoiding the growing smile on Elian’s face,

“Aww, quit being so cute!” Elian enthused, squeezing him closer as he pressed a barrage of kisses to his neck and jaw, earning Erik’s groans of embarrassment.

“Quit it you country hick, _you’re_ the one that looks good with a blush.” He grumbled. Not even the country boy jab could wipe the smile off his face.

“Can we have a cat?” Elian asked, face conveying pure, unbridled hope. Erik rolled his eyes, chuckling a little.

“As many as you want.” He assured.

“I love you Erik.” The Luminary gave his lover his most sincere smile, capturing his lips in a slow, passionate kiss. They finally pulled away, and Elian got to see a smile that dwarfed the light that had raged within him.

“I love you too Elian.” Erik echoed, cupping his cheeks with both hands. “Now, it’s still my birthday y’know.” Erik hummed, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

Elian grinned, catching sight of the sun breaking over the horizon through the window, bathing Erik in a near ethereal light as his hands slid from Erik’s shoulders, trailing down.

Some things never change.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there we have it, the story is complete! This has been such a treat to write out, and I never expected I'd get so much support, from one of my favourite DQ fic writers no less! I really do just have to thank everyone again, for all the kudos, for the comments and the people who just stuck around to read my take on the characters! 
> 
> A little addendum before I get sappy as all hell, I've marked the fic as 23 out of 24 chapters, I'm going to write up an epilogue that puts a nice neat bow on the story as a whole, and I think might lead into a sequel fic, depending on my inspiration, etc! Please let me know if you all would want to read another fic set in this universe, or just what you thought in general! Again, you're all wonderful and I appreciate you all so much!


	24. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's surreal, to be posting the final chapter of this fic, it's been such an amazing time writing this story, and I can't thank everyone enough for their support and kind comments, every single one has meant so much to me, and getting those notifications really did make my day!

His eyes felt unfocused, and he was sure if anyone asked him a question, he’d flounder awkwardly until he just dismissed the question and pushed on. A loud ‘ahem’ pulled him out of his contemplative reverie.

“On to the final business of the day.” Elian sat up properly, the plush velvet beneath him was almost sinfully comfortable, but his half-slouched position certainly was not. His eyes refocused onto the scene at hand, smiling a little. The hall was beautiful, not too opulent or glitzy, the stone of the walls like pale sand, not quite golden, but beautiful enough that he enjoyed it all the same. When the castle was under construction, he’d been drawn to the subtle ochre-yellow hue of the stone.

With tears in his eyes, Rab had told him that was as close to the same hue that the original Dundrasil’s castle had been built with, a favourite colour of his mother’s. That sealed the decision, and Dundrasil’s castle was built from the ground up, the outside finished with sleek, grey brick, while the inside was built using the stone around him, sanded down and carved into beautiful intricacies.

“You may proceed.” Elian spoke, the formality cloying in his throat. He still wasn’t quite used to it, and when he was alone, or with very select company, his usual drawl came out in full force. The council was trusted explicitly, so he didn’t often put it on. Unless they had visiting guests, dignitaries and the likes, which as he looked out over the crowd, they absolutely did. Men and women draped in fine, sheer cloth, hair tucked under beautifully woven silk, dark tan skin accentuated by the vibrant colours.

“May I introduce, Queen Jade of Heliodor!” The heavy, dark oak doors sliding open slowly, an entourage of Heliodorian knights stood around a solitary woman, her long flowing dress glittering as if she were the jewel set in the centre of a crown. Elian’s smile grew as he looked to the various people around.

“You may leave us, thank you all for coming today, and I hope to see you all at the banquet tonight.” More cloying formality. The various dignitaries, nobles and officials of the castle filtered out as Jade crossed the threshold. Her knights dismissed; she offered a polite smile.

“It’s ever so nice to see you again, King Elian.” She spoke, voice smooth as the doors carefully closed behind her. Elian barely supressed a snicker as he strode across the hall, quick on his feet as he wrapped his arms around her, hugging her close.

“It’s good to see you Jade.” He said, voice free of any semblance of royal duty. He felt Jade’s arms around his shoulders, laughing lightly.

“And you.” They eventually parted, and her smile was less put on, more genuine. “How have you been?” She asked as she squeezed his hands gently.

“I’ve been well, all things considered. It’s new, but… I’m getting used to it.” Elian admitted.

“Hard to believe it’s only been four years, and so much has changed.” She looked around the castle’s hall quietly, the flash of recognition in her eyes. He always noticed it when Jade came to visit, the same look Rab would get wandering the halls. He sometimes forgot that Jade was here when Mordegon’s forces destroyed the city, and laid waste to the kingdom itself.

“Only four years…” Elian echoed. It was closer to four and a half years, but the idea still stood. “It’s almost like Erdrea doesn’t suit peace.” Elian commented, chuckling a little. Jade’s smile told him she agreed, it was a strange situation to be in, but he was hardly complaining. Life had gotten back on track, or, in his case, an entirely new track. Her eyes then narrowed, reaching up to gently grasp the crown on his head, tilting it back.

“What _have_ you done to your hair?” She asked, raising an eyebrow. The long locks had been cut short at the sides, still long by comparison to some, not shaved short just trimmed close, the top of his head still messy but more well kept than it had ever been. Amber had almost sobbed when she’d seen the haircut, far too used to his style he’d kept for years.

“This style is apparently more ‘acceptable’ for a king. I think Erik shed a tear when I got it cut.” Elian admitted, chuckling to himself at the memory. Jade joined him on that one, smiling as she nodded. She didn’t seem to _hate_ the style, and he honestly was growing fond of his hair being a little shorter.

“So, where is your royal concubine?” She asked with a raised brow, lips breaking into a grin as Elian felt himself groan, burying his face into his hands.

“He asked you to call him that, didn’t he?” Elian asked sourly.

“Of course he did. I’d hardly deny him his fun.” Jade said.

“I swear I’ll kill him one of these days.” Elian grumbled. “He’s currently arguing in the kitchens, fretting over the banquet.” Elian said. He hadn’t actually seen Erik this morning, just knew in his soul that that’s where his other half was.

“Don’t you have a royal chef?” She asked.

“We have _three_.” He stressed, watching as she supressed her snickers.

“Why not just fire them and have Erik cooking all day, you know he’d love it.” She pointed out, taking a few steps off to the right, towards the hall-height windows, peering out towards the city below.

“I’ve thought about it a lot, but you know how nobles are. Snooty.” He clarified, joining her by the window. The sun was high in the sky by now, light filtering down over the purple shingles that covered most of Dundrasil’s buildings.

“Funny, I just call them bastards.” Jade commented dryly, and they shared a laugh.

“Erik cooks _our_ meals, just the two of us, as a compromise. I just can’t have the king’s partner slaving away in the kitchens all day. It’s the last thing I need them picking away at.” Elian said softly.

“El, your people love you. And besides, it’s only been two years since coronation, and I hear Dundrasil is the place to live these days.” She put on quite the affected tone as she said it, emulating her high society persona for his amusement.

He couldn’t help but laugh, sheepish as his cheeks tinged pink. “I couldn’t have done it without you, King Carnelian, everyone. You’ve all supported me so much.” He said sincerely, his smile brightening as he looked out over the kingdom he ruled. “How is your father, anyway?” He asked.

It was Jade’s turn to smile. He was so glad they’d managed to mend their relationship; he’d give anything to be able to speak with Irwin or Eleanor, have their guidance during these times. “He’s doing well, retirement suits him better than I was expecting. He still sits on the council and helps when I need it. I’m surprised, he’s agreed mostly all of my decisions.” She said, a rare moment of vulnerability that few ever saw when it came to Jade.

“Because you’re a wonderful queen, and he knows you're making the right decisions.” Elian assured. Rab held a similar position in Dundrasil, and he could always go to the older man with any of his worries, which helped to dampen those fears bubbling in his chest.

“I suppose now I should ask, _how_ is Erik?” She turned to face him properly. When Dundrasil’s restoration began, back when Elian and Erik were still roaming Erdrea, he had come to Jade, worries and fears gnawing away at him. Would Erik settle into the life of royalty? Would he be accepted? Jade’s advice had been a guillotine to anyone who questioned him, mostly in jest. He didn’t really want to be a despot in the first year of ruling.

“Honestly? He’s been really good. I think two years of travelling sort of… Tired him out I guess?” Elian said, lacking a better term for it. “He seems comfortable, not jittery like I’d expected. Though whenever we visit other kingdoms, for emissaries and things like that, I always see it in his eyes. If he were a puppy, I swear he’d be wagging his tail.” He spoke, failing to hide the growing smile of fondness crossing his lips. Jade couldn’t help but laugh, nodding.

“Some things never change.” She said, nodding. “And Mia’s doing well?” She asked.

“Mm, apparently so. She’s so independent that I doubt she’d let on if she wasn’t, but luckily I can just warp us over if Erik wants to visit.” He explained. Erik had been true to his word, and he was able to secure her a place at the L'Academie de Notre Maitre les Medailles. Watching Erik pronounce the name of the academy to the headmaster may have been one of the funniest things he’d ever seen. The scolding Erik had dished out was well worth the amount of laughter that meant he had to be excused from the office.

By the time Erik had left the office, he was laughing too, which only served to set Elian off again.

“Just like someone we know.” Jade commented with a soft chuckle. “Now, how are you both? As a couple?” She asked. Jade was like a sister, similar to his relationship with Gemma, who had whooped, cheered and repeatedly mentioned how she had told him so, when he returned to Cobblestone, hand in hand with Erik. This kind of question was par of the course for her worrying.

“We’ve been doing well. I really thought the stresses of a royal relationship would have been more difficult.” He admitted, though decided that it wasn’t quite as simple as he was claiming. “Sure, we’ve had our fights, some worse than others, I won’t deny that, but even then, we talk them through afterwards.” He explained.

Elian was almost twenty-five now, and while he didn’t feel like much had changed, he and Erik spoke things out much more often, discussed even the smallest thing. They’d missed out on almost a year of a potential relationship because they were both too chickenshit scared of each other, and the feelings that could have destroyed their friendship. They knew better than to simmer away in silence.

“I’m glad. I still have free reign to kick Erik’s arse if he makes you cry.” Jade pointed out, smiling. Elian chuckled at that, knowing for a fact that Jade could, and would, beat them both up at the drop of a hat if required, even in her dress. “I’m still surprised you two haven’t tied the knot.” She commented, much to Elian’s embarrassed shock, cheeks pink.

“We have time for that.” He huffed indignantly. It was impossible to deny that he hadn’t thought about it. So many years ago, they had joked to each other about that prospect. They continued to travel for a few years after the defeat of Levia Thanato, and then settled into life in Dundrasil, and frankly, they were still getting used to life in a palace. Marriage was the last thing on Elian’s mind, he’d ask Erik when they were good and ready.

“I was just wondering.” Jade claimed cheekily, smiling. “That blush on your face at least tells me you’ve picked out a nice suit.” She joked, causing him to groan in further embarrassment, burying his face in his palms.

Desperate to change the topic, he turned to face her properly, forcing himself to drop his hands. “How are things in Heliodor?” He asked, clearing his throat. “It’s important I know about our closest allies.” He joked, garnering an amused grin from Jade.

“Good. Boring, but good.” Her voice was more teasing than serious. “Hendrik showed me _eight_ different combat drills last week, to try and see which I thought was the most effective. I swear they were all the damn same.” She deadpanned, causing Elian to snicker. He’d had his fair share of boring duties as king, so knowing that Jade was suffering in such a similar fashion, it just made it all the more amusing.

“That sounds like Hendrik.” Elian attested, smiling as he peered up at the sky. It was drawing closer to evening, and while the sun sat high in the sky, cloudless and bright, it was already beginning to set.

“At least he has something to keep him busy.” Elian pointed out, a small smile on his lips. Behind them, the heavy doors creaked open, Erik’s voice following the oak door.

“… My damn throne room too, and _Queen_ Jade is an old friend, keep up your shit and I’ll have her exile you.” Erik groused, glaring at the Heliodorian knight that had tried barring him.

“Erik! Leave my men alone!” Jade called over, nodding to the knights, a call to stand down without even raising her voice at them.

“Tell them to recognize who they’re talking to then!” He grumbled, letting the doors shut behind him as his shoulders slouched, sighing. “I hate sounding like that.” He complained, a slight whine in his voice. Elian couldn’t help but smile at that, gesturing for Erik to come closer.

He wrapped his arms around Erik, smiling as he pressed a kiss to the side of his head. “You really don’t have to; everyone respects you regardless of if you’re sweet as honey or a grumpy bugger.” Elian crooned, hearing Jade’s groan of discomfort at the overly soppy scene before her. Erik tended to put on an act around anyone that wasn’t trusted, similar to Elian. He was sure he’d just been reading too many novels about kings and politics, but he could hardly judge.

“Don’t put me off my dinner, you two.” Jade muttered, though a small smile peaked out, nodding to the door. “I’ll head over to the guest quarters actually; dinner is soon isn’t it?” She enquired, smile growing as she spotted Erik’s scowl return at the mention of dinner, immediately reminded of what put him in the bad mood in the first place.

Elian gave her an unimpressed look, but nodded, nonetheless. “Yeah, the banquet should be starting in an hour or so.” Elian assured, waving her off as she left the throne room. He returned his focus to his lover, smiling down at him. “Come on, spill, what’s on your mind?” He asked.

“Our chefs are all horrible.” Erik muttered, wrapping his arms around Elian’s waist.

“Their food is lovely.” Elian countered, shaking his head.

“That doesn’t stop them from being horrible.” Erik huffed, resting his head on Elian’s shoulder.

“You’re being exceptionally huffy today. We’re having a banquet and everything, what’s up?” Elian asked curiously, raising an eyebrow.

“I just want it to go well, if you think this is petulant then you should see the state of the kitchens. They’re fighting amongst themselves.” Erik claimed, before his shoulders slumped a little, and he seemed to relax. 

Elian tucked his hand under Erik’s cheek, lifting his face to meet his, resting his forehead against Erik’s cheek. “It’s going to be fine Erik, you know that.” He said, brushing his thumb against his cheekbone gently.

Erik’s frown started to ease as Elian caressed his face, nodding slightly against the Luminary as his arms slid down to loop around his waist. “Yeah, I know.” He murmured, pulling away enough to lean in for a light kiss. For a moment, Elian melted, feeling like they were four years younger, sharing a hasty kiss between travelling the lands.

He returned the kiss, arm hooked around Erik’s shoulder as he cradled his face with his right hand, eyes drifting closed. The small noise of happiness that escaped Erik’s lips was what drove him back, breaking the kiss prematurely. “We can’t.” He hummed, smiling a little as Erik rolled his eyes.

“As tempting as it is to toss you on that throne and convince you how easily we could,” He started, grinning at the pink blush that grew on Elian’s cheeks. “I’m going back down to the kitchens to beat Pierre to death with his damn baguettes.”

Elian had to hold back his laughter, burying his face against Erik’s shoulder. Maybe Jade had a point, life would definitely be easier with Erik as the sole denizen of the kitchen. “Behave darlin’, I really don’t want to have to exile you for bread related crimes.” Elian drawled, letting a little of his country twang out, it always served to either amuse Erik, or convince him to stop whatever craziness he planned.

“Hmm, I suppose I can, for you.” He huffed, before scooping Elian’s hands up in his own. “For my king.” He knelt down, kissing the backs of Elian’s hands politely, as if he were swearing fealty. Elian rolled his eyes, a yelp escaping as Erik surged back up, abandoning his hands in favour of reaching around him, giving his arse a quick squeeze. “See you at the banquet.” He teased, sliding out of Elian’s indignant smack.

“Those kitchens really do bring out the worst in you!” He called after his lover, smiling a little as he dusted off his kingly garb. He’d managed to convince the royal clothier that he didn’t want anything too fancy, so his outfit was made up of comfortable, well fitting white slacks, a turquoise tunic with golden accents, a black belt around his waist, with red boots. His crown was fairly understated, a simple golden circlet with jewels corresponding to Dundrasil’s colours. Rab had helped him pick out the look, telling him that his father, Irwin, had worn something similar, if not a little fancier.

It worked for him much better than blinding opulence, more comfortable in this kind of outfit.

After leaving the hall, Elian returned to his quarters. After a quick bath, and a change into a spare version of his regular outfit, he stopped in front of the mirror, adjusting his hair as he set the crown down on his head, clearing his throat.

The door behind him creaked open. “Your highness? The guests have all gathered in the banquet hall.” He glanced back, smiling a little at the guard that was so often posted at the doors to his quarters.

“Thank you, I’ll be right there.” He said, taking a step out into the hallway, before heading down the hallway. The closer he drew to the banquet, the louder the voices got. As he passed the threshold, one of his stewards stood, announcing his presence. “Please, don’t stop on my account.” Elian called out to the gathered guests with a smile as he approached the head table.

Erik was sat, dressed out in his finest outfit, fairly similar to his own outfit, sans a crown, with a green tunic instead of turquoise. Rab was also at the head table, giving him a wave, a mirthful smile on his lips as he nursed a mug in his hands. The rest of the council had their seats on the outer reaches of the head table, so Elian gave them polite greetings as he passed, taking his seat.

“Fashionably late as always.” Erik teased, pouring Elian a glass of wine.

“I was on right on time, shush.” Elian chuckled, eyes scanning over the selection of foods. Steaming bowls of side dishes, various sauces and accompaniments surrounded large platters of roasted chicken, beef, racks of lamb, and pork.

One of the kitchen attendants took a step to the table, gathering up Elian’s usual accompaniments before gesturing to the various slices of meat. Elian requested a few slices of the roast chicken to go with his food, thanking the attendant happily as he tucked into his food.

“That’s why everyone’s busy tucking in while you only just showed up.” Erik joked, chuckling as he waved. Elian followed his eyes, catching sight of Veronica and Serena, sat at one of the more prominent tables with Sylvando. Elian smiled widely and waved too, glad to see them all here.

There wasn’t a lot of time to have their friends come to visit, and even when they did come to Dundrasil, their time together was painfully short. The sisters were both busy with their own various endeavours, the last he had heard, Veronica was spending time in Nautica, learning all she could about the magic and enchantments that the mermaids used so well. Serena had joined her sister in some of those embarkments, but her focus was spent on erecting a school near Arboria for training future priests and healers.

Sylvando was still roaming the world with his troupe of performers, and had even put on a performance in Dundrasil on the eve of its restoration as part of the celebrations. Elian and Erik had naturally been the first in line to see him.

Sat amongst them, Gemma and Amber, both in their finest dresses, were busy chatting loudly with Elian’s friends, wide smiles on their faces. It always made him feel much more peaceful, having the pair in Dundrasil. Of course, they’d never leave Cobblestone, and he’d never expected them to move, but it never stopped that small ache in his chest when they’d depart Dundrasil after visiting.

Scanning the room, his eyes settled on the table of dignitaries, with Jade sat pride of place at the centre, currently entangled in a conversation with Queen Frysabel of Sniflheim, with Hendrik stood dutifully behind the table. Elian always felt bad for the poor man and his refusal to relax when on trips with Jade, even in the safety of Dundrasil’s walls. Whenever they had these kinds of banquets, once all of the nobility was nice and full and carted off from the banquet hall, he ensured that the various knights and guards were given a meal too, sharing the hall with the kitchen attendants that had helped to serve through the night. The council hadn’t been keen on that rule, but Erik took the challenge personally, and often rolled his sleeves up to help in the kitchens to make the extra meals necessary.

Sultan Faris of Gallopolis looked like he was trying to help with the conversation, though Elian could tell it wasn’t going so well. He had to stifle a chuckle, instead focusing on his meal. The night drove on steadily, Elian continued to drink carefully, refusing to get too merry, knowing full well that he was a disgrace when he drank too much. With his food set aside, he was engaged in a pleasant conversation with one of the travelling dignitaries that had approached the table, a scholar from Sniflheim that had interest in establishing a royal library in the Dundrasil region, a joint venture between the kingdom and Sniflheim. Elian was delighted at the prospect and was so engrossed in conversation that he didn’t notice Erik stand, glass in hand.

The gentle ringing of cutlery against glass brought him out of his focus, so he kindly excused himself and looked to Erik.

“Erik?” Elian raised an eyebrow, but relaxed as Erik gave him his most reassuring smile.

“I’d like to make a speech.” Erik announced. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Veronica slide down further in her seat. Erik was not exactly the best at speeches. “And going by the look on my partner’s face, he’s not looking forward to this.” It was met with a rumble of laughter through the hall as Elian couldn’t help but smile, gazing up at him. “So, instead of a speech, a question. Much easier.” He announced turning to face Elian.

“Question?” Elian’s heartbeat picked up speed in an instant as he watched Erik kneel down in front of him. “Erik…” His heart was fit to leap out of his chest as Erik procured a small box from his pocket, opening it up. A simple silver band, beautifully finished, inlaid with a pair of sapphires, and at the centre of them, a swirl of coral, with the most beautiful pearl in the middle of it. Elian recognized it immediately, a piece of Lorelei’s crown, its shards had been returned to Nautica with their eminent apologies.

“Queen Marina told me to keep a piece of the crown, she told me she expected me to do something magnificent with it. I couldn’t think of anything more perfect.” Erik admitted. The rogue’s eyes were misty as he cleared his throat. “Elian, I love you, so much. And it’s not just the palace, promise.” A half laugh, half sob caught in Elian’s throat as he shook his head. Of course, he’d make a joke now. “Will you marry me?”

Elian’s smile grew as he quickly wiped tears from the corners of his eyes. “Of course I will.” He announced, beaming as he leaned down to wrap Erik up in a tight hug as the hall erupted into cheers. He felt like the hug lasted hours, not moments. Erik helped them both up, carefully sliding the ring onto his finger.

Elian glanced around the room, catching sight of Amber in tears, Gemma cheering so loud she might have deafened Sylvando, with the rest of his friends doing just as much cheering. Jade smiled knowingly, winking at him as her and Hendrik looed between each other. Her words ran through his head from hours prior. _I’m still surprised you two haven’t tied the knot._ Why was he not surprised that Erik had gone to her for advice?

He turned to face Erik, smiling so wide he was sure his cheeks would hurt for days.

“You’re sure about this?” Erik asked, matching his grin.

“More so than anything.” Elian told him.

When they had finally defeated Levia Thanato, many thoughts ran through his head, all those years ago. The one he always remembered even now, that one niggling sense of doubt in his head, was the worry that he and Erik wouldn’t adjust to a life without adventure. What if their love for each other stemmed from a love for adventure, for travelling the land fighting evil? Would they survive a _mundane_ life of domesticity, of royal duty?

Looking from Erik to the banquet hall around him, the people he loved and cared for, he knew his answer. They weren’t fighting to protect people, but their life in Dundrasil was focused on ensuring that every man, woman and child was safe under their care. They could still be the heroes they were meant to be, even sat on thrones.

He turned to Erik, cupping his cheek before leaning in to a slow, gentle kiss.

He supposed, maybe peace wasn’t so bad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there we are! The end of the road! Well, it's definitely set itself up for a sequel, maybe a different style given what comes next for our heroes! But like I've said so often in these notes, thank you everyone! Having this kind of support has been unreal, and I never expected so many people to enjoy this as much as they did, so thank you all! And maybe I'll see you all again when I decide to write more on DQ, whenever that'll be! <3


End file.
